Sailor Moon: Haato Wa Mangekyou
by Light Penguin
Summary: AU. Minako meets Usagi in high school and, recognizing the Princess, gives Usagi her compact for protection; but she didn't expect Usagi to be able to TRANSFORM using it! Now Ami's getting suspicious, Rei's in a coma, Luna's missing, the Dark Kingdom's preparing to kill Minako, and Usagi has just awoken as Sailor Moon! And what does the mysterious Tuxedo Kamen have to do with this?
1. Chapter 1: First Glimpse

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I owned Sailor Moon, I don't. That's why I'm writing fanfiction. Cuz I'm a fan. So please don't sue me. I don't own Moonlight Densetsu, either-I just drew inspiration from the song's lyrics to create a title for this fic, since it needed a title. So please don't sue me for that, either.

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**Sailor Moon: Haato Wa Mangekyou**

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Stars. The heavenly bodies that twinkle in and out of existence, with their constant light, sparkling in a dazzling display of white against black, dancing forever in tandem with the dark emptiness that surrounds them, never faltering in their steps and leaps across the vast sky. Their light holds many things; for some, it holds a wish, a wish for the future; for others, it holds hope-the hope of something better, the hope of something more; for others still, it holds scientific meaning, a methodical sort of existence simply waiting to be charted and measured and figured; for others, it holds nothing more than a fleeting thought, a mere splash in an ocean of things more important than something so far away from home.

But for some, the light of those stars is a reminder, a reminder of a promise made long ago, of memories long buried in the passage of time, forgotten beneath crumbling silver ruins, frozen in eternal sleep. The light serves as a reminder, a reminder of that forgotten past. The light is a beacon, drawing close the hearts and souls of those whose memories lie forgotten beneath the moon, of those who are drawn to hope. Yes, the light of the stars beams brightly as a center of peace, hope. Hope for the future.

But, light, of course, is accompanied by darkness. And such a bright light as that which the stars give out in their exuberant displays of hope can only be accompanied by a dark void just as strong. Darkness, unlike light, is not so bold; shadows do not take the straight and fast path towards the hearts of many. Instead, it travels the subtle, more lasting paths, winding, worming, squeezing its way into the soul. And once it has burrowed deep into the heart, it lies there and festers, like an ever-painful sore, growing in its power, multiplying in its presence, until it not only engulfs the soul but also eclipses the light. And so the unfortunate soul is lost to the dark, drowning in its deep expanses.

And yet, if even the smallest ray from the light of the stars can penetrate those deep waters, banished are the shadows-to the side do they flee, quivering in fear of the silvery wisps, cowering in a corner as the silver light shines strong and clear. Nonetheless, in its cunning, the dark will slowly creep forth, swallowing the light until it is blanketed.

What, then, is the meaning of light? For can it not then be an endless cycle? Light pierces dark, and dark snuffs out light?

No. It is not so.

Within one heart lies not only light, but the light of all the stars and more. This heart holds not a single shadow, purer than the stars themselves, clearer than their ever-present light, brighter than their everlasting brilliance. For in this heart lies serenity itself.

Wherever this heart shines, so, too, do the hearts of others react to its presence and let forth their own light. Such a wondrous power shares it's brilliance with all whom it touches, and those touched by this light, too, become beacons in the dark, shining with an eternal light more awesome and infinite than the stars.

Yet the deep darkness knows that this light can drown it. For, although dark and light cannot exist without one another in reality, this pure light exists beyond the realms of reality and defies reality itself. And so, although dark and light cannot exist in reality without one another, the mere existence of this pure light that banishes the dark causes reality to change so that reality becomes unreal, and the unreal becomes reality.

The darkness does not like this. It does not like the power of this light; it does not like the utter powerlessness that it holds against the light. It does not like this light. And so the darkness coalesced into one being, drawing itself in, smaller, stronger, deeper, until all darkness existed within one entity. And this entity sought out the light with its tendrils, seeking to drown it, to cause it to flutter, to spasm, to choke into darkness. For then darkness would be complete.

And so the story begins with this light of lights, brighter than all the stars put together, and yet smaller than a single star...

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Usagi stumbled forwards, a garbled cry escaping her lips around the loaf of bread smothered between her teeth, her limbs flailing wildly and her golden tresses trailing behind her, catching the wind she disturbed as she fell. Her hands shot out in time to stop herself from receiving any injury, and she quickly righted herself, nostrils flaring as a whoosh of air escaped her. She spared only enough time to wipe the dirt and rocks from her knees and hands, and then she began rushing forward, her shoes clacking roughly against the pavement in a staccato pattern as she raced towards her destination.

Passerby blinked in surprise as a golden, white and blue blur rushed by them, leaving a faint gust of air in its wake. The sound of a high-pitched, wailing voice reached many a businessman's ears as he walked to his office, and many a mother dropping her child off at school flinched when the piercing squeals reached their ears.

"Latelatelatelate LAAAAAATEEEE!" cried Usagi as she ran full-kelter to her High School. Despite her best efforts, she felt tears welling up in her eyes, and with them came the realization that her little brother was right-she _was_ a crybaby. Not that this realization made Usagi any happier; in fact, it seemed to make her even more upset, and the tears that she had managed to keep in check suddenly spilled onto her cheeks, and she dabbed them furiously away. _God_, she just needed to get to class on time today! That was all she needed, and so Usagi sent a quick prayer to Kami-sama that he let her, for _once in her life_, NOT be late to school. Unfortunately for Usagi, Kami-sama seemed to have either a strong hateful resentment towards her, or else an obnoxious and very inconvenient sense of humor, because five minutes later found Tsukino Usagi standing outside the locked classroom door, her shoulders hunched in defeat.

Usagi dredged towards the stairs that led to the main office, already foreseeing the terrible reaction that her mother would have at Usagi's fourth tardy of the week, and the detention that would come with it. Her mother would be _furious_, and Usagi cringed at the image of her mother's rage-darkened face framed by billowing blue hair, surrounded by flames. Well, all right, so maybe there wouldn't be an _inferno_ surrounding her mother, or hair billowing in an unseen wind, but Usagi knew that she would undoubtedly be on the receiving end of a lecture and a punishment that would leave her grounded for at least two weeks.

When she entered the office, the secretary glanced up at the young schoolgirl, an amused smile upon her age-weathered features. "Late again, Miss Tsukino?" she asked as Usagi reached for the clipboard on the edge of the woman's desk.

Usagi smiled weakly in response, nodding her head wearily. She was still breathing raggedly from her run to the school-which, she realized now with a pang, had been absolutely futile-and so she spared no excess energy in forming words. Feeling absolutely miserable, she picked up the pen beside the clipboard and uncapped it.

The older woman laughed softly, reaching an arm out across her paper-enveloped desk and placed it gently upon Usagi's hand as the young girl scribbled her name and reason for being late onto the paper.

"It's all right, Miss Tsukino. You tried your hardest."

Usagi smiled again at the old woman in response, trying not to let the woman know that her comment hadn't helped and had instead made the girl feel slightly worse. "Thank you," she murmured as the older woman passed her a pink tardy slip.

"Good luck," said the older woman. Then her eyes looked past Usagi, and another amused smile crossed her face as the glass doors opened and admitted another student whose rapid breaths were, if anything, more labored than Usagi's had been.

"Why, Miss Aino," said the secretary, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "What a delightful surprise! You're here..." the woman glanced at her computer screen, checking the time in the bottom right-hand corner. "Three minutes earlier than Tuesday!"

Usagi turned around to see a rather disgruntled-looking student whose exuberant smile contrasted with her windblown appearance. As the girl strode forward to write her name on the clipboard, her waist-length hair floated behind her, and Usagi noted the red bow atop her head that held her hair in place.

"Three minutes! All right! Is that a new record, Mrs. Tanaka?" asked the girl, her blue eyes sparkling as the pen scribbled something down quickly.

The secretary looked very thoughtful for a moment before she opened a drawer and began shuffling through various papers. "No, no... I think that... Yes, I'm almost sure of it," she muttered. With a flourish, the older secretary pulled out a small folder and began sifting through its contents, finally stopping on one page and letting out a triumphant hum. "No, no, Minako-chan, your fastest time was last month, when-"

The girl had begun to laugh, and she spoke at the same time, resulting in a strangled sort of speech. "That time when Artemis scratched my face-how could I forget?" the beautiful girl- Aino Minako, if Usagi had caught her name correctly-suddenly seemed to notice Usagi's presence in the room, and her eyes widened.

Usagi felt a sort of electric shock run through her body as this Minako girl's jaw slid open, her eyebrows shooting way up off her forehead. Then the girl seemed to collect herself, and cleared her throat.

"G-good morning!" she said, her blue eyes still gazing piercingly into Usagi's. Usagi shifted under that gaze, slightly uncomfortable with its intensity.

"Hi," she said with a smile, pushing away her unease and letting her natural happiness take over.

"I'm Aino Minako," said the girl, leaning forward in a slight nbw.

"Tsukino Usagi," Usagi said as she returned the bow. Usagi watched as the girl received her tardy slip and then curiosity overtook her. "Are you always late?"

The girl looked surprised, and then a sheepish grin and a slight blush colored her cheeks. "Yea, it seems like it." The girl let out a small laugh that, had Usagi known better, she would have noted was tinged with nervousness.

Usagi's eyes brightened suddenly. "So you have a detention, too?" Usagi had been dreading her detention, and now that she knew it was certain she would have to attend, she hoped that she could at least have some form of friendly company while she was there. And this girl seemed very friendly to Usagi-she seemed to radiate a certain happiness that Usagi couldn't help but feel drawn to.

Minako nodded. "Yup, I do. But you don't mean that _you_ have one?" she asked, a slightly flabbergasted look crossing her face.

Usagi laughed. "Well, this is my fourth tardy this week." She waved her pink slip sheepishly. "I can usually keep it down to three a week, so I don't get a detention..." her voice trailed off in a sigh. "I guess I've just had a lot on my mind lately," she lied. Usagi knew _exactly_ why she kept oversleeping, why it was so hard to wake up in the mornings, why she could never seem to catch enough sleep. Lately, Usagi's dreams had turned into nightmares, and no matter how hard she ran, she'd never been able to outrun that strange, dark cloud with gleaming red eyes.

"Tell me about it," Minako agreed, and for the first time Usagi noticed the dark circles under the girl's eyes, hidden by the happy aura that the girl gave off. Minako's mouth seemed tight, as though she were dealing with too much stress; her pale limbs seemed to move gracefully, but wearily, as though hindered by small, invisible weights; Minako's blue eyes, too, seemed sad and tired beneath her slightly drooping eyelids. "Lots of homework, y'know?" she said, waving her hand dismissively.

Usagi nodded fervently in agreement. "Yea! Tons! Ms. Haruna-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, girls, but I really think you ought to head to class now," interrupted the secretary's voice, and with a jolt, Usagi realized that she and Minako had been talking for several minutes.

Both girls exclaimed in surprise and then bid hurried goodbye's before running back to their respective first period classrooms. Mrs. Tanaka stared after their rapidly retreating forms with a quirked eyebrow. "Honestly," she muttered to herself. "Those two could be sisters, they're so alike." The old secretary let out a small chuckle as she returned Minako's file to her drawer. "Maybe I should start a Tsukino Usagi folder, as well." The girl certainly was late often enough to warrant one. The wrinkled secretary couldn't keep the smile from her face as she began to record the two girls' names into the system for their tardies.

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Usagi stretched her arms behind her head, stifling a yawn as her eyes welled-up with tears, grateful that the class had finished and she would finally be able to sleep during this class, as it was homeroom. She released a huge gust of air from her mouth as she relaxed, and then she registered some sort of buzzing in her ear, a high-pitched buzzing which was actually forming some form of coherent words that were really being said by a person.

Usagi opened her eyes, squinting, to see her best friend's red hair sticking out from the corner of her eye. Usagi opened her eyes fully and turned her head slightly to face Naru-chan, who was now talking animatedly about the magazine she was currently waving back in forth, her brows knit together as she explained something to Umino. Umino had a concerned expression on his face-or, at least, Usagi _thought_ he was concerned. It was sort of hard to tell what Umino was thinking, or even feeling, since he kept his eyes hidden behind his huge, opaque glasses. Nonetheless, even though Usagi couldn't see his eyes, it was clear that Umino was focused intently on whatever it was Naru was talking so excitedly about. Usagi decided that, if Umino was so intent on listening, Naru must be saying something interesting, and so she quickly tuned in to their conversation.

"-beating those Youma for over three years now, so you'd think she'd be older than this! But according to this article, people are speculating that she's no older than seventeen, maybe even younger than that! Most of the guesses are that she's either fifteen or sixteen! Can you believe it!?" Naru's voiced had grown in volume, and Usagi couldn't help but smile at how, when she was passionately speaking about something, her normally calm and quiet friend would suddenly become excited and loud.

Umino nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose. He swept his brown bangs to the side of his head, only to have them fall back to their original place in front of his eyes. "I believe it. But I still don't understand how they were able to ascertain this information. After all, she has some sort of magical glamour-type shield protecting the public from discovering her identity, so why couldn't that same magic be making her appear younger or older? It-"

"How do you know she's got some... Magical barrier thing that's keeping people from finding out who she is?" Naru asked hotly. "Those weird games you play have been giving you weird ideas-"

"Nono, Naru-chan! Listen!" Umino's cheeks began to pinken slightly, and he suddenly seemed just as excited as Naru. "You know how she wears a red mask to cover her face?" Umino paused, waiting for some sort of response from the girl before him. Naru nodded somewhat warily, and Umino took this as his cue to continue. "Well, I've done some experiments, and it seems that masks shaped like hers shouldn't drastically alter the wearer's appearance or the way others perceive their appearance. In other words, a mask like that shouldn't really hide what you look like! But hers _does_, you see?"

Naru shook her head, eyes closed, a somewhat frustrated look on her face. "Umino, that doesn't make sense. First off, nobody knows what she really looks like-"

"But that's it!" Umino said, grabbing Naru by the shoulders. "_Nobody_ _knows_ _what she looks like_! Even though, according to my research, people _should_ be able to discern what she looks like! What other explanation is there? She _has_ to be using some sort of magical glamour to cover up her true appearance!"

Naru sighed, disagreement evident on her face. She didn't voice her opinion, though, as she caught sight of Usagi watching them. A smile lit her face.

"Usagi-chan!" cried Naru, waving the magazine she held as she headed towards the blonde girl, weaving around desks. "Look what I have!" Naru proceeded to slap the magazine down onto Usagi's desk with a great abundance of enthusiasm. Usagi couldn't help but giggle at her friend's antics, and then she glanced at the cover of the magazine.

A picture of a blonde young woman in a sailor outfit met her. The youth's eyes were hidden behind a red mask with small protrusions that reminded Usagi of wings. A lustrous crescent moon gleamed on the girl's forehead, and a faint blush tinged her cheeks a rosy hue. Voluminous blonde hair twirled behind the girl as she struck a pose, her long, thin limbs adding a grace and elegance to the pose that would otherwise have been absent. One hand was poised on her hip, and the other stretched in front of her, middle and index fingers forming a V. Usagi sighed wistfully, wishing that she could have hair that beautiful, or a body that graceful.

"Sailor V-chan," she said, letting her eyes skim over the print that declared the young woman a hero on the magazine's cover. "So she saved some more people from a Youma attack?"

Naru nodded, opening to a page in the middle of the magazine that detailed the events of the newest attack. "They caught it on camera from a store across the street. The Youma was sucking up all the life-energy of the people in a bookstore, and then Sailor V showed up." Usagi nodded, indicating that Naru should go on. "Apparently, the Youma knew she was going to show up, so it had backup hiding behind some of the shelves, and they snuck up on Sailor V while she was doing her pose and making her speech." Naru laughed a little. "But she noticed them, or something, cuz she managed to avoid their combined attacks. It really goes into detail about how she beat the Youma in the article, but apparently she got pretty banged up."

Usagi looked down at the article on her desk, glancing at the various pictures of the masked Superhero fighting the Youma. One of the pictures showed Sailor V as she was struck by one of the Youma's attacks. The caption underneath this particular photo read "_Sailor V being hit and thrown into a wall by one of the Youma's projectile-based attacks. The Youma that used this attack called out the name, but as there is no available sound accompanying the footage that was acquired, the attack's name remains unknown._"

Usagi winced as she read it, and she regarded the picture of Sailor V with a new level of admiration. "Ouch," she said, and Naru giggled. Usagi was struck by a thought as Naru picked up the magazine and began perusing its non-Sailor-V-related contents.

"Hey, Naru-chan," she said, and Naru glanced up from the magazine, eyebrows raised. "Don't you think she gets tired of battling all those Youma all alone? I mean, she battles some practically every day, and she still isn't able to save everyone from attacks."

Naru looked thoughtful, then shrugged. "Well, it's not like there's anybody who can help her fight those Youma. She's the only one who can face those things without having her energy sucked away."

Umino, wearing his backpack and adjusting the glasses perched on his nose, chose this moment to sidle up next to Naru, who appeared simultaneously revolted and embarrassed at his sudden proximity to her. "This is a very interesting discussion you two are engaged in here. Mind if I share some of my information?" He didn't wait for the girls to respond, however. "You see, Youma are creatures that, as you know, seem to suck the life-force away from their prey. Bullets and sharp-edged weapons have proven to be ineffective against them in combat, resulting in only temporary wounds or mild discomfort to the creatures. So far, it seems that only Sailor V has the abilities to defeat them, and she uses magical attacks to do so. In other words, Sailor V is the only person capable of beating Youma because she is the only person capable of using _magical powers_ against them." Umino ignored Naru's snort and continued, and Usagi could almost swear that she saw his glasses glinting as his fervor heightened. "So it's not really a question of whether or not she gets tired fighting Youma. She's the only one who _can_ fight them, or the only one who _will_ fight them, so it's obvious that she feels it is her duty to do so. I know that if _I_ had magical powers like hers, I'd be out there fighting alongside her."

"In a miniskirt and high heels just like her, no doubt," Naru smirked, and she and Usagi burst into giggles at the thought as Umino's face reddened.

"N-no!" he stammered. "I was thinking something more along the lines of..." he began sifting through his backpack. "This!" he exclaimed, pulling forth from his bag a picture of a figure who seemed to be midway through a leap between two buildings.

Usagi and Naru gasped. "Who is _that_?" Usagi asked, staring hard at the blurred picture of a man who appeared to be wearing some sort of tuxedo, complete with top-hat and cape.

"_That_, my good friends, is Tuxedo Kamen."

"Tuxedo Kamen?" repeated the two girls in unison, blinking.

Umino nodded sagely. "Yes. Tuxedo Kamen is a relatively unknown, masked thief who goes around and steals jewels from all over the town. It's impossible to track his movements because he escapes using the rooftops..." Here he paused and looked at them in a somewhat dramatic manner. "Just like Sailor V! The two have even met before, although their meetings have only been brief, since she's always in a rush to go after some Youma. However, two years ago, at the Princess D ball, Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor V both showed up and fought Youma that had appeared!"

Usagi's eyes slid back to the fuzzy picture of the masked man. "So... He can fight Youma, just like V-chan?" she asked.

"Yes, he can. He dispatched two of the five Youma at that incident, though he hasn't done so since-at least, he hasn't done so where there have been any camera crews, reporters or photographers around."

Usagi smiled at the picture Umino was still hiding. "He's so cool!" she squealed, and Naru laughed.

"Mysterious guys like him are your type, eh, Usagi?" teased Naru, poking her blonde friend. "I hafta say I agree with you on that one. He _does_ seem really cool!"

Umino huffed at Naru's words. "Well, anyway," he said loudly, before either Usagi or Naru could start talking about other things that made Tuxedo Kamen attractive. "I was thinking that if I had superpowers like him or Sailor V, I'd be using them to save people, not to go around stealing precious gems."

Naru laughed. "Hey, if it's just jewelry he wants, he can come over to my place, right, Usagi-chan?" she asked, nudging Usagi.

Usagi giggled-after all, Naru's mother owned a jewelry shop. "You're right! And then you and him can have little baby tuxedo kamens!" Usagi couldn't help but giggle at the adorable image, and her laughter only grew in volume at the pink color that rose to Naru's face and the vein that began throbbing in Umino's neck.

A tap on her shoulder caused Usagi to turn around, still in the process of wiping tears from her eyes. When she saw who it was who had tapped her shoulder, she stiffened, biting her lips, he eyes widening slightly as she attempted to act nonchalant.

"M-Ms. Haruna! Fancy seeing you around here? How're you doing? How's life been treating you?" she asked breezily, scrunching up her eyes in a smile too bright to be genuine.

Ms. Haruna simply raised her eyebrow, used to Usagi's antics when the girl hoped to avoid a situation, particularly one she knew would not lead to any positive news. "Ms. Tsukino, I _am_ your homeroom teacher-I'm always here," she said. "And yes, I am quite well, thank you for asking. But that's not why I came over here to talk with you, now is it?" The teacher's dark, green eyes bored into the wide blue ones before her.

"W-wha-"

"I think, perhaps, that we should speak in private, Usagi-chan," said Ms. Haruna, her tone business-like and her eyes gleaming sharply.

Usagi's lips tightened for a fraction of a second before her shoulders slumped. The girl turned to her friends, who had been watching the events unfold-Naru, with apprehension; Umino, with curiosity.

Ms. Haruna led Usagi outside into the hallway, leaving the door open only a small crack so that she could hear the students inside the room. The teacher raised one of her hands, which had been hidden from Usagi's view, and Usagi saw that in it the teacher held a slightly crumpled piece of paper. With red lettering all over. Usagi moaned internally at the sight.

"You know what this is," said Ms. Haruna, her voice stern. Usagi nodded reluctantly. "Then I assume you know why I'm not pleased with the grade you received on it." Ms. Haruna handed the paper to Usagi, who received it with a grimace on her face.

The girl tried to avoid looking at her score in the upper part of the page, but-like moths to a flame-her eyes slid slowly but surely to it. A breath of air whooshed from her mouth, unbidden, as she read it.

36.

"It is rare that I have a student drop so dramatically in her grades, Ms. Tsukino. While you were never an A-student in my class, you nevertheless received acceptable, passing scores. I have noticed the recent drop your test and quiz scores have taken, Ms. Tsukino, and they are not beneficial to your overall grade in this class. If this keeps up, you _will not_ pass this semester."

Usagi bit her lip as she listened to Ms. Haruna's stinging words, never letting her eyes stray even once from the red ink denoting her miserable score. She took a deep breath, trying to stave off the panic that she felt rising within her from the pit of her stomach, and the tears that were beginning to wet her eyes.

"I..." she began, not sure what she was even going to say. Could she really justify this significant drop in her grades? Her mother would definitely not listen to any excuse she made. Would Ms. Haruna be any different? After all, high school students shouldn't let their grades drop due to one nightmare. Sure, it was a nightmare that woke her up repeatedly every night, sweat glistening on her body as she gasped for air like a fish out of water, legs tangled in the sheets, hands curled into tight fists as she fought back tears and cries of pain.

And the mysterious voice she heard, urging her to wake up, to go, to _go save them_, although she had no idea to whom the voice was referring. Flashes, images, faces, bodies, would all appear in her mind's eye as she slept, but they changed every night, never returning to the same face, and there were so many faces, even if there was a face that was repeated, she would not be able to recognize it. Add to this the fact that Usagi had noticed, with a growing sense of unease, the correlation her nightmares had to Youma attacks, and the high school girl felt utterly exhausted, drained, and scared. Scared because she didn't know why her dreams were connected to Youma attacks. Scared because she didn't know how to stop the nightmares.

But how could Usagi tell Ms. Haruna any of this? The teacher would probably just send her to the Nurse's office with the order to get some sleep, and maybe tell her parents to get her a counsellor or a doctor. No, it would definitely be for the best not to tell Ms. Haruna anything about her nightmares.

"I'm sorry," Usagi finally murmured, her eyes on the floor. Ms. Haruna stared at the young girl for several minutes, eyeing the dark circles under her eyes, red rims around them, the uncombed hair that fell from the girl's head, the dejected and weary stance she took.

"Ms. Tsukino," Ms. Haruna said, a gentle tone entering her voice as her eyes softened and her arms uncrossed. "I am willing to work with you and come to an agreement that will give you more opportunities to increase your semester average if you promise me that you will put forth 100% in my class from now on."

Usagi's head whipped up, her eyes wide and her mouth open. "R-really?" she asked.

Ms. Haruna nodded, her brows knitted together in a stern manner. "It won't be easy, Ms. Tsukino. I will offer you make-up opportunities for exams like this one, but the maximum grade that you can get on a make-up test is a 70, which is not a high enough grade to make you pass my class. That means you'll need to make an effort to improve your grades-I'll expect to see you at my tutorial sessions every Tuesday and Wednesday after school. I will offer opportunities for bonus credit as well." Ms. Haruna's expression softened once more. "I don't want to see a smart young woman like you fail my class, Usagi-chan. You and I both know that there's more to you than that."

Usagi felt her eyes burn slightly as her vision blurred. She sniffed once, quickly, and looked into Ms. Haruna's eyes. "I promise to do my best, Sensei," she said softly. A small smile lifted her lips. "Arigatou, Sensei, for believing in me."

Ms. Haruna smiled, placing a firm hand on the girl's shoulder. "You're very easy to believe in, Ms. Tsukino. Now, let's get you back into the classroom-I think Yamamoto-kun and Nakamura-kun are getting a bit too close to tearing out each other's throats." The teacher held the door open for Usagi and followed the girl inside the classroom.

"Oi! Nakamura-kun! Get your hands off of Yamamoto-kun this instant! Or are you looking forward to your parents meeting with the principal later this afternoon, because I assure you that if the two of you don't stop fighting right now, you'll be facing detention for a week!" The two boys in question sprang apart, faces glowering and casting dark glances at each other, but they nonetheless returned to their seats.

Usagi slipped through the groups of students back to her desk, where she plopped down with an almighty huff, staring at the paper in her hands. She glanced up at Ms. Haruna, who seemed to be absorbed in her lecturing of Yamamoto-kun. Usagi took this opportunity to crumple up her test, out of sight of her Sensei, and stuffed it quickly into her bag. Naru plopped down in the chair next to her, a concerned expression on her friend's face.

"So what was that all about, Usagi-chan?" Naru asked. Usagi sighed, blowing the bangs off her forehead as she propped her arms on the desk and leaned on them.

"I failed another test, and Ms. Haruna wants me to get my grades up." Usagi let out a strangled, frustrated sound. "I want to, I really do! I agreed to go to tutorials and take make-up tests and do bonus work and everything! I don't want to upset Ms. Haruna! But it seems like lately, no matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to do anything right!" Usagi put her head back on her arms. "What's wrong with me, Naru-chan?"

Naru patted Usagi gently on the back. "It's okay, Usagi-chan. You're just going through a tough time. It'll all turn out okay, eventually."

Usagi closed her eyes, making a noncommittal sound that Naru seemed to take as an agreement. As Naru returned to talking with Umino, Usagi closed her eyes, scrunching them hard to keep the wetness pooling in her eyes from sliding free. She knew that Naru meant well, but Usagi knew better. No, it _wouldn't_ get better. It couldn't. As long as these strange nightmares plagued her, Usagi knew that her grades would continue to slip, no matter what she tried to do to prevent them from falling. And she felt as though her world was slowly slipping away with her disappearing grades, falling slowly but surely in a decline that would only get steeper and steeper from here on out.

Usagi groaned slightly, shaking these dark thoughts from her head. She took several deep breaths, and eventually her breathing evened out as she slipped into a dreamless sleep that would last only for another forty-five minutes until the lunch bell rang.

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Sailor V swept her hands in a wide arc, summoning throbbing power into her hands as she somersaulted backwards, hissing as a sharp blade scratched her cheek. If she had moved even a second later, the blade would have soared right into her forehead.

"Rolling Heart Vibration!" she cried, twisting as she landed and thrusting her hands forward, sending the energy she had gathered earlier crashing outwards towards the two Youma she was fighting. The glowing energy struck one of the monsters, instantly disintegrating it into ash, but it's partner- a foul-faced, dark blue creature with horns protruding from its neck and claws that served as projectiles- managed to dodge the attack by lurching to the side and ducking behind a jewelry case holding gleaming necklaces.

The Youma poked its head out from the side of the case, and the young hero instantly took advantage of the creature's unintentional opening.

She aimed her finger at the Youma, gathering glowing energy that pulsed with her heartbeat at the tip of her index finger. "Crescent Beam!" she shouted, her throat dry and scratchy from use, as this was the third Youma battle of the night and she had been calling out attacks for several hours now.

A stream of light-concentrated energy hurtled towards the Youma, whose eyes widened. The creature's head disappeared behind the jewelry case once more, leaving a smoking scorch mark on the tiled floor where its head had been mere moments before. A roar shook the ground as the Youma screamed in rage, and Sailor V stumbled from the raw energy that the creature had sent into the air with the sound.

The girl quickly recovered her footing, however, and none too soon, for the Youma leapt out from behind the jewelry case just as Sailor V righted herself.

The creature raced towards her, it's claws gleaming, and then it swept its arms forwards, sending dozens of nails filed to a deadly point towards the young Senshi.

Sailor V vaulted behind a pile of rubble that had been created by the Youma she had already defeated. She turned snd crouched down behind the debris, wincing reflexively as the nails collided into the rubble before her, impaling the rubble with painful-sounding thunks.

Taking a deep breath, Sailor V prepared herself for what was to come. Then, like a rocket bursting forth into the atmosphere, she flew up from behind the rubble, surprising the Youma, who had begun to approach the pile of rubble warily. She took advantage of its momentarily stunned state, raising her arm once more and gathering energy to the tip of her finger. "Crescent Beam!" she yelled, and pure golden energy shot forth once more, this time punching through the Youma's skin. The Youma had time only to let out an ear-splitting, keening screech of pain before it crumbled into a pile of ash.

Sailor V landed in a crouch beside the pile, sending pieces of the ash twirling into the wind. Her breathing was ragged, and her eyes beneath the mask were roving over the store, watchful for any other signs of Youma activity within the department store. Nothing registered in her vision, and so the teenager relaxed slightly, though the tense edge to her movements didn't vanish as she slowly approached the victims of the Youma attack.

There were several men and women, even a few children, that made up the energy-depleted victims lying across the floor. Sailor V quickly checked each victim for signs of life and gave a relieved sigh to find that every single one of the victims was breathing.

"Minako!" The voice startled the girl, causing her to jump and whip around.

"Artemis!" she gasped, both relieved and exasperated at the small white cat that was speedily padding its way towards her through the wreckage of the store.

"The police are on their way," said the cat, never one to mince words. "We need to move now. To the park."

Minako's heart began to sink. "You mean-"

"There's another attack, yes," said the cat wearily. "Only one Youma, thankfully, but the park is a big place and we have lots of ground to cover if we're going to find it before it drains its victims to the point of death."

The young Senshi nodded, scooping up the white cat in her arms and placing him on her shoulder as she began to run out of the store. Once she had exited the place, she jumped onto the roof of the building across the street, and then began to leap across the rooftops in the direction of the park.

"Artemis," she began, exhaustion evident in her voice as she leapt over an alley and landed on a roof, then began running to the edge of the new building. "Do you think this will be the last one?" Minako heard Artemis let out a sighing breath, the warm air tickling the side of her neck as she launched herself onto another building.

"I think so. The accumulated energy they've been able to gather from all of these attacks is pretty substantial. It's more than usual. But I think they've grown weary, too. And the attacks that have been occurring during daylight hours are the ones they've been keeping a close watch on. These night attacks are, as we've discussed, probably just to wear you down till they think they can get rid of you." The cat shifted on her shoulder as she landed softly on the street across from the park. "I don't like this. They're toying with us, Minako, and they're getting more powerful."

Sailor V wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. Her eyes followed the white cat as he leapt from her shoulder to the ground, shaking his stiff limbs. "Once we get home, Artemis, I've got news."

The cat's ears turned, his whiskers twitched, and his tail froze. He whipped his head around to point piercing blue eyes at her face. "What sort of news?" he asked.

Sailor V put a finger to her lips. "I'll tell you when we're home, somewhere not out in the open where our enemies could easily overhear us," she murmured, eyes scanning the dark park. She hopped across the street, closing the gap between her and the foliage that surrounded the park. Artemis glanced quickly from side to side to ensure there was no traffic, and then he followed suit, landing behind the girl just before she jumped onto a tree branch and began using her higher vantage point to look for any Youma activity.

Sailor V pointed in the direction where she had seen a soft blue glow, imperceptible from her previous position on the ground. "There," she whispered softly so that only her cat companion, who had joined her on the tree limb, could hear her.

"You go on ahead. I'll catch up," whispered the cat in return. Minako didn't pause to nod; instead, she dropped nimbly to the ground, landing with only a slight sound, a skill that she had acquired after years of sneaking up on Youma. She raced off in the direction of the eerie glow, running as quickly as her heels would allow without giving off any sound so as not to alert the Youma to her presence.

Sailor V found the Youma twenty-seven seconds later, a blue swirl of light coalesced in its hands. Two trails of pale blue light led to the bodies of two humans. Sailor V eyed them and was relieved to find that they were both still breathing. Still alive, then-although, judging from the thin trails of light ebbing from them, not for much longer.

Sailor V pointed her finger at the creature, then frowned as a thought occurred to her. _It'll see me of I do that._ Her Crescent Beam gave off a rather bright glow as she charged energy into her finger to power the beam. In this dark, the Youma would easily spot the glow from her attack, and the element of surprise would be ruined. The girl silently lowered her arm. She blinked, and then summoned her compact into her hand, eyes narrowing as she shifted her position in the shadows.

Quick as a flash, she threw her compact at the Youma like a boomerang, and the compact collided squarely with the back of the Youma's head. The creature stumbled forward, it's grip on the energy loosened. During this short time, Sailor V had begun to charge energy into her finger, which was aimed at the monster's head. As the Youma lost its firm grip on the energy and whipped its head around to see what had hit it, she released the stored energy in her finger.

"Crescent Beam!" she yelled, and the Youma had time only to widen its eyes as it noticed the oncoming attack. It screamed in pain, and then crumbled to dust on the grass. The energy that it had been holding dispersed immediately and returned to the humans on the ground.

As the two people began to stir, Sailor V heard small, familiar footsteps behind her, and she turned to see Artemis's blue eyes blinking at her from beneath his crescent moon bald-spot.

"Good job, Minako-chan," Artemis said warmly. "I just checked in with Boss about the status of the Youma attacks tonight. Boss says that there aren't any more Youma presences. We're done for the night."

Sailor V's knees trembled, and she slipped to the ground, a great sigh of relief tearing from her. "That was awful," she murmured as she rubbed her face and leaned against a tree, adjusting her legs into a more comfortable position. She closed her eyes and leaned her head into the warm trunk. "Three people, Artemis," she whispered, sadness tinging her voice, which cracked from the yelling she had done that night. "One tonight. Three people." A heavy breath escaped her lips. "The Dark Kingdom knows what it's doing. They've got me completely exhausted, and I'm not even able to save people properly anymore!" Her voice had grown in volume to the point of a weak yell, and her eyes snapped open to look at the white cat before her.

Artemis laid a gentle paw on her knee. "I know," he said. "But once we find our comrades, they'll be able to help. And then we'll be able to search for the Princess-"

Sailor V gasped. She slapped her head. "I can't believe I forgot about that for a few minutes there! Artemis, we have to get home." She scooped him up in her arms and began hopping along the rooftops towards her house, ignoring the cat's protests. "It's about the Princess!" she whispered urgently, effectively silencing his complaints.

Sailor V and Artemis travelled the rest of the way home along the rooftops in silence, both too tense and deep in thought to speak. Sailor V took a roundabout sort of route to her home, but after thirty minutes, she found herself on her street. Sailor V finally alighted softly upon the roof of her own house. She crept along the roof to her window, which she had left open, the curtain fluttering gently in the small night breeze. The youth slipped inside after peering around to make sure the coast was clear. She closed the window and drew the curtains shut, then collapsed onto her bed, allowing her transformation to fade away in a soft glimmer of light and stars.

Artemis jumped onto her bed, curling up next to her face, his tail tickling her chin. "Minako-chan," he said seriously, and Aino Minako opened one eye, staring at his gleaming eyes through the darkness. "What did you find out?"

A small smile lit Minako's lips. "I saw her today, Artemis."

The cat's eyes widened, and he leapt to his feet. "You mean, you..." his voice trailed off, and his tail quivered with excitement, hope, disbelief.

"Yea," Minako said, laughing softly. "She looks a little different, acts a little differently, but it's definitely her."

Artemis sat down slowly, his eyes wide. "Where... How..." He shook his head, and then a halfhearted stern look appeared on his face. "You should have informed Boss and me the moment you found out," he said.

"Boss will be fine," she said. "The Princess is safe, and healthy, apparently." She rose from her bed and glided softly across the room, digging through her backpack until she produced a folded sheet of paper, then returned to the bed.

"You know how I was late to the first Youma attack?" she asked, a tinge of regret coloring her voice. If she had to repeat today's events, she wouldn't have changed a thing, but a life is a heavy burden to bear. It was because of this decision that she had been too late to save one poor businessman's life; she had arrived just as the Youma had sucked the last tendril of energy from the man. "I stayed late at school today because I got a schedule change."

Artemis gaped. "You mean you _met_ her-you didn't just _see_ her?"

Minako nodded. "Yup," she said. "Tsukino Usagi is a second-year student at Juuban High. I hacked into the school system during computer lab and found her class number. I'll be joining her class tomorrow."

Artemis beamed at her as she returned the paper to her backpack. "I can't believe it!" he said. "Now you can protect her, and at the same time, we can look for the other Senshi!"

Minako smiled by way of response. She knew, from her memories of the Silver Millennium, that the Senshi were drawn to the Princess. It was an ancient magic, the kind of which is evoked when a Senshi pledges her fealty to a monarch, and the bond between Senshi and sovereign becomes unbreakable.

"They're here, too," she said. "They know her, even if they aren't friends yet." She was absolutely certain of this. She herself had been drawn to the Princess-the others must have also experienced this.

Artemis padded softly to her pillow, curling up beside her head. "Boss, did you hear that?" he whispered excitedly, gazing at a pen lying on Minako's desk across the room.

The tip of the pen blinked with a red light. "Yes," a metallic voice replied, sounding simultaneously relieved and excited. "I knew she would be in the area; it seems the Ancient Magicks that attract the Senshi to one another are stronger than I anticipated. We no longer need to explore the entirety of Japan-this district will suffice."

Minako gave a small laugh. "Boss," she said sitting up to stare at the pen with a twinkle in her eye. "I think I know who you are, now."

The red light from the pen blinked a few times as though in surprise. Then the metallic voice spoke again. "I don't doubt that you have figured it out, Princess Venus. But I, too, have changed in the thousands of years since last we met. I am not quite who I once was-merely the coalesced memories and will of the one you knew, left behind to ensure the safety of Princess Serenity and her Senshi. "

Minako pulled her knees up, resting her chin on them as she watched the pen thoughtfully. "Do you still want us to call you 'Boss'?" she asked.

The pen winked its light once. "Yes. I think it would be unwise to do otherwise, Minako-chan. The enemy should be left unaware of my existence."

Minako nodded. "As you wish," she said. Then a great yawn escaped from her. "Aw, geez," she said. "I'm super tired."

A snort sounded from her pillow. "You've been fighting Dark Kingdom agents all night," said Artemis said. "It's been this way for two months, Minako-chan. Of course you're tired."

Minako sighed, then turned to the pen once more. "Boss," she said, lowering her voice. "I lost another one today."

The pen's red light winked in and out of existence for several seconds. "It is not your fault, Minako-chan. The Dark Being is at fault-she has caused all of this. Were it not for your bravery and courage, many more lives would be lost now." The metallic voice paused, the light winking hesitantly, gauging Minako's reaction. The girl's head was lowered, her long hair veiling her face. But she girl's slumped shoulders indicated that she was still upset.

"Sailor Venus, Captain of the Inner Senshi of the Silver Milenium," said the pen, metallic voice ringing with power and the red light shining brightly. Minako's head whipped up, eyes wide. "Do not despair," said the voice in a gentler tone. "Your Princess holds the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou-the Silver Crystal of power. Once she has recovered her memories, she will be able to use its full power and restore life to these people."

Minako sighed. "But their deaths still cause grief for their families." The girl shook her head. "I'm sorry for behaving this way, Boss. All these attacks are getting to me, I guess."

The red light winked twice in understanding. "Sleep, Minako-chan. Your energy must be restored for tomorrow."

Minako rested her head against her pillow. "I... I don't know what I'll say to her," she admitted. "I can't mention anything from our past lives, and I can't talk about the Youma. She seems like the same person, but different. I mean, I guess we're all like that, though. The same person, just different." she snorted, an expression she had picked up from Artemis. "Well, good night, you two."

Artemis purred slightly in response, already close to sleep. The red light of the pen glowed softly for another minute, watching as Minako drifted quickly to sleep, her breathing evening out and the worry disappearing from her face. Then the light, too, disappeared as it winked out of existence.

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F_aces. A blonde woman with short hair-a child with dark pigtails. A young man wearing a baseball cap, an old and wrinkled woman. A young businessman with circles under his eyes-a middle-aged woman carrying grocery bags. All of them, crying out in pain, fading away slowly as a new face came into view._

_Then a voice. A low, resounding voice. It sent shivers down her body, and she turned, trying to find the one to whom this voice belonged._

**_Go! You must! You must use your power-only you can save them! You _must_ save them!_**

_Faces. New ones. Screaming voices, growing in volume. And then a new image-ruins, blood, chaos, swords. Familiar faces, lying on the ground, coated in their own blood. Friends-her friends- yelling and screaming as they struggled against monsters, demons. Youma. A man, dressed in dark armor, standing before her, his face hidden. His blood. Screaming. _Her_ screams. Pain-pure, absolute pain in her chest. End it please just end this. Cold steel against her chest-and then silence._

_Abruptly, the scenery changed, and she was alone. No, not alone. A dark figure was before her-no, a cloud. No. Pure darkness. A ringing, shrieking laugh, gleaming red eyes, fear, absolute terror._

_She ran, she had to run, to get away, to leave. She had to escape, but even as she ran, it seemed to grow only larger, the shadow bearing down upon her, and she screamed as it bore down on her, its red eyes laughing at her, the star on its forehead growing, widening, and it swallowed her-_

Usagi jolted upright, sweat slicking her body, panting. The blood rushing in her ears calmed as she registered the dark room around her, the soft moonlight gently filtering down from her window. She groaned, placing a hand on her forehead, the other unconsciously trailing slowly to her heart.

_It's okay_, she thought. _It's all right. Tokyo is fine, my friends are fine, I'm fine. There hasn't been any huge battle with Youma. Nothing like that._ The fingers at her heart curled into a fist. _No sword here. Nope. No big, black, evil cloud-thing chasing me. No unknown faces screaming as they die. Nope._ That still didn't seem to console her rapidly beating heart, but it did calm her slightly. She leaned back slowly, letting her head sink into the pillows beneath her.

Again. She had had that dream again. The exact details of the dream still eluded her, but she could remember the feelings. Fear. Fear for her friends. For her family. For... Someone else. Anger towards the Youma that had attacked her home. Anger at herself for being unable to stop the chaos around her. Sadness-a terrible, gripping sadness. And pain. Pain from the loss of her friends, pain from the loss of her family, pain from the loss of someone very dear to her. And then physical pain, a piercing feeling, as something cold slid into her heart, slicing through her body easily. And then, that dark cloud of evil-the only thing from the dream that she could recall.

She shivered, and a sour taste entered her mouth at the memory of that... thing. _Go to slee_, she commanded herself, but she knew it was no use. She glanced at her clock, then closed her eyes in frustration. 2:00. She had been asleep for all of four hours before the nightmare woke her up. And she knew that she wouldn't be getting back to sleep for at least another hour; it had been this way ever since the dreams started a year ago. So, she knew that she would, at most, get another four hours of sleep. And then she would be late to class again-not that it mattered anymore this week, anyway. She already had detention tomorrow-oh, wait, that would be later today.

Usagi sighed, rolling over onto her side to face the moonlight streaming onto her bed through the window. Ever since she had been little, the moon had always calmed her, earning jokes from her family that usually revolved around her pounding mochi.

The moonlight soothed the teenager, her breathing finally returning to an even pattern. In an hour, as she had predicted, the soft flow of silver light filtering in from her window had lulled the girl into a deep sleep.

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"My Queen," said the young man, his unruly blonde hair casting a dark shadow across his blue eyes in the eerie light of the cave. "Our attacks have been successful. Today we managed to gain unprecedented amounts of energy by siphoning life-force from the humans, and since we didn't drain the humans completely, it seems that Sailor V has not been able to pinpoint our daylight locations."

A man with curly dark hair stepped forward now, as the younger blonde took a step back. "I have come to a conclusion as to why our daylight attacks have been successful, My Queen," he said in a low voice. "Our night attacks have been successful in that they have caused Sailor V to become clumsy. She no longer fights with the same finesse and ease she once commanded, though she is still a formidable enemy and poses a threat to our cause. Danburite failed to see her power, and that is why she was able to vanquish him. Now, however, we are whittling her down slowly but surely. I believe her to be of school age-though I am still unsure of this. Her magic is strong, and she could be using it to disguise herself as a younger self to fool us. Be that as it may, she is, like most humans, involved in either schoolwork or a daytime job during daylight hours, so she is unable to leave her school or job to stop our attacks during the day. I have found, however, that attacks around lunchtime tend to fail, as she occasionally appears and incapacitates our Youma.

"As I mentioned earlier, her attacks and defenses have become sloppy as of late. I believe the time to finally confront her is near at hand. I believe that two weeks is all we need wait before her guard is low enough for one of us to defeat her."

The dark haired man stepped backwards, joining the young blonde in the deeper shadows of the caverns.

Before them, sitting upon a throne of frozen stone, sat a woman with fiery red hair that fell in waves to her feet. Her narrowed eyes watched the figured before her, and then returned to the crystal ball in front of her. She waved her hands around it in a complicated motion, and then an image played in its depths of a young, masked girl sending a stream of pure energy hurtling towards one of the woman's minions.

"Zoicite," she hissed, and one of the shadowed figures stepped forward, bowing. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and his eyes were closed as he rose from his bow.

"My Queen?" he asked, voice soft and deep.

"Have you discovered the identity of this Senshi?"

A frown darkened the man's face. "A strong magical barrier protects her, my Queen. And following her is difficult. She and her companion, that cat, are very watchful, always making sure that no one is trailing them. A strange cloaking magic follows her, and I am unable to tail her for longer than ten minutes. And she does not take a direct path towards home-as expected. She's taken steps to ensure that her identity is not easily discovered. Nonetheless, I have pinpointed her location to the Azabu-Juuban district, based on the amount of time it takes for her to arrive at Youma attacks throughout the city. It's possible that she lives in downtown Tokyo, but I think it unlikely."

The woman hissed. "I am not pleased, Zoicite. I asked for her identity, not her possible whereabouts. If this failure continues, the consequences will be unpleasant for you."

Zoicite bowed low, then returned to the shadows, worry lining his face.

"Kunzite!" called the woman, and another man, white hair flowing behind him, stepped forward. He inclined his head.

"My Queen," he said.

"Kunzite, how goes the search for the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou?"

The man, Kunzite, raised his eyebrow. "As well as can be, from the clues that we have."

He received a glower from the woman. "Do not anger me, Kunzite. You have had three years to search for it."

Kunzite's head inclined. "And absolutely no information other than it is here on the earth, somewhere. I have searched most of the world, and my search has borne no fruit. Only since I have started searching Japan have I encountered any leads."

The woman glared at him. "Kunzite," she hissed. "As leader of the Shittenou, I expected better of you. The Maboroshi no Ginzuishou is necessary for our Leader's revival. If you do not recover it soon, She will be displeased with you."

Kunzite inclined his head once more. "I will find it, Queen Beryl-sama. It is only a matter of time."

"Well, time is running short," she hissed at him. "Shittenou!" she barked, calling the previous three men forth from the shadows. "The four of you are dismissed, but hark my words: if your failures continue, you will perish by my own hand."

"Yes, my Queen," they said in unison, bowing. Then they summoned dark portals, and vanished into the void, the eyes of their Queen glaring down upon their disappearing forms.

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A/N: Well, that's the first chapter! I hope you like it! I'm going to write more, but it took me a lot of time to write this chapter, and with school right around the corner, the updates will probably be far and few. But I hope you enjoy the story!


	2. Chapter 2: Second Glance

Disclaimer: I, again, don't own Sailor Moon. Or any of its characters. Those are the property of Takeuchi-Sensei. The only things that belong to me are... Well, come to think of it, my parents technically own all my stuff... I guess I own my own brain. Maybe. O.o

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**Sailor Moon: Haato Wa Mangekyou**

Chapter 2: Second Glance

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The young man sighed, pushing his bangs away from his face as he stared at himself in the mirror. He looked like a typical hardworking second-year college student-dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, pale skin from too much time indoors studying; his shirt was rumpled from having slept in it, and his dark hair was sticking up in the back. Even his apartment looked like a college student was living in it: unwashed dishes in the sink, a leftover box of takeout on the table that he had forgotten to put up last night, a pile of unwashed laundry at the foot of his bed that he had meant to wash last night, textbooks lying open on the table beside his homework, books strewn across his sofa, his laptop charging beside his bed. Everything he owned was something any average student at a University would own.

But there was one room in his apartment that held several items not usually found in the possession of a second-year college student. And it was to this room that the young man headed, rubbing his unshaved chin. He would need to shave before he headed to his advanced physics class in two hours, he realized, or else he would have a lovely five o'clock shadow to display at eight in the morning to his class. And the last thing he needed right now was for anyone to notice anything amiss with his life.

The young man turned the light on and closed the door behind him, locking it. His dark eyes narrowed as he surveyed the room. A bookcase stood on one end in the corner, filled with books and texts, even a few journals. A tall cabinet stood next to it, locked. And on a desk across the room sat a magnifying glass, an open book, a notebook with a pen, and more than a million dollars in precious jewels and metals.

He opened the desk drawer and pulled out a box of plastic bags, then put on gloves. He carefully placed each fine gem into a bag, and then he plunged his hand into his pocket, pulling forth his ring of keys; he fingered them until he found the one he was looking for: a small, nondescript key. He walked over to the filing cabinet and unlocked the lowest shelf, then placed all of the jewels inside the drawer. He locked them inside, and then he returned to his desk and sat down, pulling the pen and notebook towards him.

_Azabu- Jewelry Store: Pretty Precious Jewels_ was written in a hasty scrawl. "Tch," the young man muttered as he scratched a line through the name of the store. It seemed that the store he had visited last night, Pretty Precious Jewels, had not had what he was looking for. He closed the notebook, clicked the pen closed, and then pulled the open book towards him.

For the next forty-five minutes, Chiba Mamoru read _Jewels, Gems, and Precious Metals: a Guide on How to Distinguish the Genuine from the Common_. Then, checking his watch, the young man left the room, making sure to lock it behind him, and went about getting ready for the day. He showered, dressed, ate breakfast, brushed his teeth, shaved his face, combed his hair, packed his bag, and then departed for Tokyo University, locking the door to his apartment as he left.

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Tsukino Usagi made a strangled sound as her mother glared at her.

"But _Mom!_" she whined, her high-pitched voice causing her little brother to clap his hands over his ears as he scrunched up his face in disdain. "I _already_ have a detention! It doesn't matter if I'm late again today!"

Tsukino Ikuko's glare only seemed to intensify at this statement, and Usagi unconsciously took a step away from the force of her mother's gaze.

"Usagi-Chan," her mother's voice warned menacingly. The woman's left hand twirled a spatula, while her right hand rested on her hip. The woman's red, checkered apron didn't seem to detract from the level of fear she inspired in her daughter; in fact, the apron seemed to increase it a hundred-fold. "You _will_ get to school on time today. I will _not_ have my only daughter receiving any more detentions and ruining her chances of getting into a good university. Am I making myself clear?"

Usagi swallowed. "P-perfectly," she said, scooting away from the glaring eyes of her mother. She restrained herself from releasing any more complaints, if only to keep from receiving another of her mother's fear-inspiring glares.

"Shingo," she said, plopping down at the kitchen table where her father and brother were eating breakfast. "Pass the pancakes." She lifted her hand, expecting to receive the plate laden with pancakes immediately. She should have known that her annoying little brother would make even this simple request difficult for her.

"You didn't say _please_, Usagi," he said, his eyes gleaming as he took a humongous bite of his own pancake. "Have you forgotten your manners?" he asked between bites.

Usagi glared at him. She had gone to sleep early last night, yes-her mother had sent her to bed early upon receiving news of her daughter's detention-but her nightmares had woken her up again, and she felt like she had only managed to get a few hours of sleep. That was probably why she was so angry, but Usagi didn't care-she just wanted her pancakes. She was, after all, a growing teenage girl who needed to eat properly to stay healthy. And now her annoying kid brother was getting in the way.

"Just give me the plate, Shingo-_Chan_," she said, glaring at him.

Tsukino Kenji glanced up from his newspaper, and he held back a shiver. His daughter had picked up that scary glare from her mother, all right. He decided immediately not to get involved in this fight between his two children unless it escalated into something dangerous, and then he returned his attention to the newspaper before him.

"No," Shingo said, ignoring the death-glare his sister was shooting at him. It had been ages since he had been able to tease his older sister at breakfast like this, and he was not about to let the opportunity pass him by. "Not until you say please." He stuck out his tongue, laughing internally as his sister's uncombed hair seemed to stand on end, and her face turned red as she pressed her lips together. _All she needs now is steam from her ears,_ he thought jokingly.

Usagi held back the acid reply on her tongue, trying to take deep, calming breaths. "Fine," she said, giving in to the rumbling of her stomach. "Just pass me the pancakes, _please_," she said gruffly.

Shingo chuckled as he passed her the plate. "Why, certainly, Usagi-Chan," he said. She gave him a scathing look as she began piling the pancakes onto her plate.

Usagi yawned loudly as she poured maple syrup onto her stack of pancakes. Her mother chuckled as she sat down next to her daughter.

"Tired, I see," said Ikuko, a smile lifting the corners of her lips. The woman had removed her apron and now began to serve herself. "Maybe if you made a habit of getting up this early, you wouldn't be."

Usagi pouted, although with her mouth stuffed to the brim with pancakes, it didn't make for an exactly pleasant expression. "But moooom," she whined after swallowing her food. "It's six thirty! And I'm tired!"

Ikuko frowned, and Usagi realized that her mother was now staring at her face. "Usagi, honey," she said. "Have you been staying up late?"

Usagi swallowed, and plastered a smile into her face. "Nono, I'm getting plenty of sleep! Just, y'know, a growing teenage girl needs her sleep!" She giggled nervously, hoping that her mother wouldn't notice how fake her laughter was.

"Well, Usagi-Chan, you-Oh, my goodness!" Ikuko cried, standing up, her eyes on the clock. "Shingo, quick, go grab your backpack. It's already seven! You said you wanted to be at class a half hour early today to get your project set up!" Shingo stuffed one last bite of pancake into his mouth before his mother shooed him out of the kitchen.

"Kenji, dear, I promised to help Shingo set his project up at school. Will you put the dishes up for me?"

Kenji glanced up from his newspaper, eyebrows high upon his forehead. "Uhh," he said, folding the paper up. "Sure." He rose from the table and began gathering the dishes into a pile.

"Usagi-Chan," her mother called from the other room. "Could you help your father? He's already dressed for work, and I don't want his clothes to get dirty."

Usagi gulped down the last piece of her pancake, then patted her stomach, satisfied with her empty plate. "Sure thing, Mom!" she called, standing up and gathering the rest of the dishes that her father had not yet taken to the sink.

"Thank you, Usagi-Chan," said her father kindly, a smile lighting his face as his daughter dumped the remaining dishes into the sink.

"Oh! And put them in the dishwasher! And Usagi-Chan, I left your lunch on the counter for you! Don't forget it!" called Usagi's mother from the door, where she and Shingo were carrying his project out to the car.

"I'll make sure to put them in the dishwasher!" called Mr. Tsukino to his wife. "I love you, darling!"

"I love you, too, Kenji-Shingo, quick, go run and open the car door for me..." The front door closed, leaving the house in a strange sort of quiet that Usagi wasn't really used to.

Her father smiled at her. "I'll get the dishes, Usagi-chan. Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for school?" Usagi hesitated, wanting to help her father with the dishes but also wanting to get ready for school.

"Tell you what," said her father, clearly seeing the torn expression on her face and understanding it for what it was. "If you leave the dishes to me, I'll try to talk to your mother about letting you sleep a little later next week."

Usagi's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked.

Her father laughed. "I remember what your mother used to be like in high school. She used to be exactly like you-well, not exactly, but she was always running late, barely making it to class on time." He smiled softly at Usagi, who seemed astounded to find that her mother had been late just like her. "I know you think that your mom is being mean to you," he said. "But she's just trying to make sure that you don't have to go through what she went through. See, back then, our school would only let you have a certain amount of tardies, and if you reached that limit, they... Well, they kicked you out. I mean, there were other reasons, too, and I won't go into those, but back then, getting into a good high school was even more of a big deal than it is now, and the rules were much stricter. Your mother just... doesn't want anything like that to happen to you."

Usagi bit her lip, understanding flowing through her. "Oh," she managed. "I didn't know." The story of why her mother had never completed high school had always been a mystery to her; her mother and father would always skirt around the question, and Usagi could never figure out why someone as talented, smart, and beautiful as her mother would be unable to finish high school. The only conclusion she had come to was that her mother must have gotten pregnant with her, but when she had asked her parents, they had laughed at the idea, telling her that if that had been the case, she would have been at least a decade older than she was. So, she had let the subject die.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, blinking rapidly as tears began to well in her eyes.

"It's not your fault, sweetheart," her father said. He wiped his hands on a towel, and with a jolt, Usagi realized that he had finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher while they had talked. "Now," he said, smiling at her. "Why don't you go run upstairs and get ready.

"Right," she said, forcing herself to turn around and walk upstairs even though it seemed somehow wrong of her to do so. She changed from her pink pajamas decorated with crescent moons into her school uniform, brushed her teeth, and then ran a comb through her hair-an arduous task, as her already long hair had become knotted from her twisting and turning during her nightmare the night before. She put her hair up into her customary odango hairstyle, wrapping the hair up and using bobby pins to fasten it into place firmly upon her head. She glanced at herself in the mirror, a pair of bobby pins still in her mouth from when she had done her hair, and though she wasn't pleased with the result, it was good enough for school. She stuffed her finished homework into her backpack-finished only because she had been sent to her room after dinner and-completely cut off from any form of entertainment-she had resorted to doing her homework in an attempt to cure her boredom. And, well, the fear of her mother's rage. Definitely some strong incentive there, no doubt.

Usagi shrugged her bag onto her shoulder, then glanced at the clock-it was only seven fifteen, and it only took about five minutes to get to class-though, she corrected herself, since she would be walking today instead of running, it would probably take ten minutes instead of five. Still, plenty of time for her to get to school early. Usagi wrinkled her nose at the thought. _Early. Blech.  
_  
She walked downstairs, heading to the kitchen to grab her bento box of lunch that her mother had left for her on the counter. She saw her father straightening his tie in the hallway mirror. He spotted her in the reflection, and smiled. "Did you get your lunch?" he asked, turning.

"Yes, I did," she smiled, waving the bento in her hand. Her smile faltered. "Dad, I..." she trailed off, not sure what to say.

"Yes?" he asked, picking up his briefcase, and Usagi blinked, startled from a daze she had not realized she had fallen into.

"N-never mind," she said, a smile on her lips as her father's cheerful attitude rubbed onto her. "Anyway, I'm off!" she said, stepping into her shoes.

"All righty!" said her father. "I'll be leaving soon, too. Be safe!" he called as she opened the door.

"You, too. Love you, Dad!" she said over her shoulder, and she closed the door, hearing his muffled "Love you, too, Usagi-Chan" through the door.

Usagi blinked up at the warmly lit sky, surprised at the cheery peace that seemed to have settled over the neighborhood. She had always been in such a rush to get to class that she had never really appreciated how beautiful mornings could be. She walked slowly to make up for this, her eyes soaking in all the beauty that was around her. She turned her head this way and that to ensure that nothing missed her gaze. Unfortunately, it was for this reason that she collided straight into someone.

She jerked back, blushing, from the man whose chest she had collided into, trying not to think about how warm and hard it had felt as she bowed in apology. "I-I'm _so sorry_!" she said. She straightened, then looked at the person she had just walked into.

He was a tall young man, with dark black hair and dark eyes-rather typical for any Japanese male. But he wasn't like any other man she had seen-this guy was absolutely, jaw-droppingly handsome. He seemed just as surprised as she was, and she saw a slight tinge of red on his cheeks as well. He cleared his throat.

"Ow," he said, grimacing as his hand jerked to his chest in the spot Usagi was pretty sure she had bonked her head. He looked her over, and Usagi tried hard not to shift under his gaze. "That hurt."

Usagi bowed once more. "I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" she cried. She heard a snort and looked up to see his dark eyes flashing, though whether from anger or amusement she had no way of knowing.

"Look, _Odango Atama_," he said, and Usagi couldn't help but bristle at the tone of his voice. "I need to get to my class, so spare me the apologies and next time just look where you're going." And with that, he shook his head and walked past her, hands in his pocket and backpack hanging off one of his shoulders as he crossed the street.

Usagi's blush only deepened as anger and indignation rose up inside her. "Well, maybe _you_ should look where you're going, too!" she yelled after him. He gave no response to indicate whether he had heard her, so she huffed, crossing her arms, and began walking briskly to her school. "Jerk," she muttered, trying to wipe the image of his retreating form from her mind.

She entered the building, looking at a clock in the hallway to make sure she wouldn't have to hustle to get to class on time. No, there was no need for any hustling-it was only seven forty-five, meaning that she still had fifteen minutes remaining before classes started. She walked slowly, unsure of what she would do once she made it to class. Sleep, maybe. Yes, that thought made Usagi quite cheerful, and so she quickened her pace and arrived at her class in two minutes' time. She opened the door, stepped inside, and slid it closed behind her.

The students inside the class collectively gasped as she turned around and the students recognized her. Well, not _everyone_ gasped in amazement at Usagi's earliness-half of the class paid no heed to her arrival at all, too engrossed in their own preparations for class or their current conversations-but those who noticed her early arrival were stunned.

"Usagi-Chan?!" cried Naru from her desk, standing up quickly and rushing to her friend's side. "What are you doing here early?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Ah, well... See, my Mom wasn't exactly happy about the detention, so she made sure I got to school on time," Usagi said, the smile on her face contrasting with the memory of her father's words from this morning that invaded her thoughts at the mention of her mother.

"Oh. Well, I guess that's a good thing," Naru said, laughing slightly as she followed Usagi to her desk.

"Maybe. But I'm so _tired_," Usagi said, dumping her backpack on the ground beside her desk as she pulled out her chair and flopped down into it. Usagi rested her head on her arms, laying them on her desk as a yawn overtook her. "Naru-Chan, I'm gonna sleep until class starts. I'm really tired," she said, closing her eyes as her breathing began to slow.

Naru laughed softly, patting her friend's back a few times. "You've been super-tired lately, Usagi-chan. I'll wake you up five minutes before class starts, okay?"

Usagi nodded slightly, already feeling a gentle calm wash over her as sleep slowly washed over her.

It seemed like only a second had passed when a warm hand was shaking her shoulder, and Naru-Chan's voice reached her ears, urging her to wake up.

"C'mon, Usagi-Chan! It's time to get up now!"

Usagi yawned, stretching her arms out as she straightened in her chair. She opened her eyes, blinking hurriedly as they adjusted to the light of the classroom.

Usagi made a strange, garbled sound, then rested her chin on her hand. _Man,_ she thought. _I'm still really tired._ She turned to Naru, who had an amused expression on her face.

"Thanks, Naru-Chan," Usagi said, smiling at her friend through the stupor of sleep that was still following her.

Naru smiled in answer, then hurried back to her own desk two rows away, where she promptly sat down.

Usagi turned to face the front, yawning again as she and the rest of the students waited for Ms. Haruna to arrive and begin their English class. But, seconds turned into minutes, and soon the class had begun to buzz with anxious chatter as students wondered where their teacher was. Some students began to talk about things unrelated to school, taking advantage of the absence of their teacher.

Usagi, for her part, was simply disgruntled. After all, had she known that her teacher was going to be late, she would have been able to sleep for a few more minutes. She turned to her right, catching Naru's eye, and her friend simply shrugged; she didn't know where Ms. Haruna was, either.

Usagi then turned her attention to the girl at her left. "Ummm... Ami-Chan," she said, and the blue-haired girl sitting at the desk beside her blinked rapidly, turning her head towards Usagi.

"Y-yes, Tsukino-San?" asked Mizuno Ami, surprised but not angered by Usagi's informality towards her. Ami had spoken to Usagi on a few occasions before-it would be impossible for her not to have spoken a word to the boisterous and chatty young girl who sat next to her-but Usagi had always referred to her as Ami-san. Nonetheless, Ami was not upset by Usagi's lapse of formality-the girl's happiness seemed to be contagious, and Ami often found herself listening to Usagi's conversations so that Usagi's enthusiastic attitude could brighten her day.

"Do you have any idea where Ms. Haruna is?" asked Usagi, her eyes wide. "She's never late."

Ami contemplated the question for a few moments. She was a very shy person, rarely speaking more than a word around people she wasn't close to, but somehow, her reservations seemed to disappear around Usagi, and she felt like she could truly be herself. It was strange, for she only felt this way around one other person-and that person was a good and dear friend that she has known for a few years. Usagi she had known only for a few months, and yet she inspired the same trust that Ami's best friend inspired. Ami was indeed perplexed by this, but if she really thought about it, it made her happy to know that Usagi was able to brighten her life like that, so she tried not to question the strong feelings of friendship she felt for the girl.

"Well, I have a few ideas, but most of them are highly unlikely," Ami said, then noticed that Usagi was still watching her closely, as though expecting more, so Ami decided to share the more likely ideas with the girl. "She probably just got caught in morning traffic, or woke up a bit late. It's really not that big of a deal, Tsukino-San-Ms. Haruna is only about five minutes late right now."

Usagi huffed. "Five minutes that I could have spent sleeping!" she said, and Ami couldn't help but giggle. She had noticed Usagi sleeping beside her earlier, and the girl seemed to have really enjoyed the rest she had gotten. Then, Usagi's eyes widened, and a gleam appeared in them as she smiled broadly at Ami. Ami was a bit unsettled by the gleam in the girl's eyes, but she returned the smile nonetheless, wondering what was on Usagi's mind.

"Hey, Ami-Chan!" Usagi smiles, leaning towards the blue-haired girl. "Would you mind-I mean, would it be all right if I went back to sleep, and you sort of just poked me whenever Ms. Haruna gets here?"

Ami blinked, not sure whether to express disapproval or amusement; the more mature side of her brain suggested the former, while the other half of her brain wanted her to express the latter. Ami settled on the latter, as the hopeful gleam in Usagi's eyes seemed to silence the disapproval in her of such irresponsible behavior.

"S-sure, Tsukino-San," Ami said, smiling. Usagi's eyes brightened, and she leaned over and embraced Ami, surprising the blue-haired girl.

"Thank you so much, Ami-Chan! I owe you big time!" said Usagi as she prepared to sleep on her desk again, closing her eyes and letting her blonde hair drape around her shoulders and desk, forming a sort of blanket around her. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and locked them with Ami's, as though she had just remembers something. "Ami-Chan," she said, her voice soft. "You don't have to call me Tsukino-San. You can just call me Usagi-chan. We're friends after all, right?" Then Usagi closed her eyes and snuggled deep into the folds of her arms, leaving a stunned yet happy Ami sitting beside her.

Ami blinked rapidly a few times, feeling an unbidden smile tug on her lips as warmth spread through her. "Right, Usagi-Chan," she whispered, so softly that not a soul heard her. Usagi's breathing had already evened out into the deep breaths of sleep, and so Ami turned her attention to the door, ready to shake her new friend awake when it slid open.

She didn't have to wait long. After only two minutes, Ms. Haruna opened the door and stepped inside. Ami turned immediately and started prodding Usagi (for, Ami had seen Naru's attempts earlier to wake the girl, and she knew that Usagi woke only to physical contact and not to verbal pleads). "Usagi-Chan!" she whispered urgently, hoping that Usagi would hear her. Usagi's eyes fluttered open, and Ami was stunned to see a glare turned on her before Usagi seemed to register the situation and her glare turned to alertness.

"Sorry!" Usagi whispered as Ami leaned back into her seat and Usagi herself straightened. "Thank you, Ami-Chan!" she whispered, smiling. Ami smiled back, and then the two girls turned their attention to the front, where Ms. Haruna stood at her desk.

Except that Ms. Haruna was not alone; for, standing beside her was a blonde girl with a ribbon in the back of her hair.

"Students," said Ms. Haruna, effectively silencing all stray chatter. "I would like you all to meet the newest addition to Class 2-A."

The girl bowed. "Hello," she said, her long blonde hair sweeping around her. "My name is Aino Minako. I hope that we can all work well together and that we have a wonderful year!"

Usagi jolted upright, pointing at the new student. "Eeeeeehhh?" cried Usagi loudly, and all eyes turned to her. Usagi blushed under the scrutiny. "Ah, sorry, everyone," she said, sitting down.

Ms. Haruna quirked an eyebrow. "Do you have something to say, Ms. Tsukino?" she asked. Usagi shook her head and giggled nervously.

Minako smiled. "Oh, Ms. Haruna, I think that Usagi-Chan was just surprised to see me."

"Oh?" Ms. Haruna said, clearly surprised. "You two know each other?"

Usagi and Minako both nodded.

"We sort of met yesterday," Minako explained.

"I see," said their teacher. "Well, then. Mr. Watanabe, would you mind moving to the empty desk beside Ms. Suzuki? You two are good friends-but I'd better not have any problems with the two of you talking during my class, Mr. Watanabe. Ms. Aino," she said, turning to the blonde student as the boy she had addressed began collecting his things. "You can sit behind Ms. Tsukino."

Minako bowed. "Yes, thank you, Ms. Haruna!" she smiled, and once the boy had vacated his desk, she slid into it behind Usagi.

Usagi turned around. "Minako-Chan!" she said cheerfully. "I didn't know you were switching classes!"

Minako nodded. "I've been having problems with Mrs. Smith's English class, so I transferred to Ms. Haruna's class. But to do that, the administration had to redo my entire schedule, and since this class had an opening, they put me here."

Usagi's brows knit together. "That's weird," she said. "I thought there were only twenty-four students to a class."

Minako blinked, then laughed. "No way," she said quickly. "They don't have a rule like that!"

Usagi smiled. "I guess you're right," she said. "I never really pay much attention to school rules, anyway."

"Girls, while I really am happy that you two know each other, I need you to pay attention now. I'm starting class," Ms. Haruna said, and Usagi jolted around in her chair to face the front again. "All right, let's begin. If everyone would please turn to page one hundred and thirteen..."

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Minako watched as Usagi leaned back in her chair, stretching.

"Man! That was a long class," Usagi said, turning to face Minako. Minako's eyes had been glued to the back of the girl's head for the entire class-she hadn't paid any attention to Ms. Haruna's lesson. Instead, Minako had been thinking about Serenity-no, Usagi. She had acted similarly to the Princess that Minako knew from the past-there was that same smile, that same exasperation with having to learn a new language, that same yawn-and yet, she seemed less reserved, more boisterous, and she seemed to be overall happier. Minako knew why this might be-she herself had experienced it, too; growing up in an entirely new situation-one where you were a _normal_ girl, not a Princess, and so you were not restricted by courtly expectations and royal limitations- had made her different, too. But, deep down, she knew she was the same person; Minako suspected that it was the same for Usagi.

"Hey, Naru-Chan!" Usagi said, smiling at the girl who had walked over next to her desk. Usagi turned in her chair to face Minako. "Naru-Chan, this is Minako-Chan-I met Minako yesterday. Minako-Chan, this is Naru-Chan, my best friend."

Minako blinked. "Nice to meet ya," she said, inclining her head.

"You, too," Naru replied, returning the slight bow. "So, how did you guys meet, exactly?" she asked, her copper curls bouncing as she looked between the two blonde girls.

Minako and Usagi shared a glance, and then burst into a fit of giggles.

"Apparently Usagi-Chan and I have a habit of running late," Minako said between laughs. "I'm worse than her, though. That was your first detention, right?" she asked Usagi. The girl's smile faltered, and Minako's laugh faded.

"Y-yeah," Usagi said, an obviously fake smile plastered onto her face.

Minako waved her hand, hoping to turn the conversation away from their detention later that day, since it was obviously making the Princess upset. "It's no big deal," she said. "I've had tons of detentions." She turned to face Naru now. "But, anyways, how long have you two known each other?"

"Eight years!" Usagi smiled, glomping Naru in a hug as the red-haired girl laughed.

"Since Primary School," Naru said. "We've been best friends ever since..." An amused twinkle appeared in her eyes, and she glanced at Usagi. "You don't mind if I tell her the story of how we became friends, right?"

Usagi chortled. "Go ahead and tell her." Usagi winked at Minako. "It's not _that_ embarrassing."

Naru smiled, then turned her attention to Minako. "Well, see, it all started on the first day of the fourth grade. I was a new student at our school, and I didn't have any friends, since I had moved here from Ireland-"

"Wait, you're _Irish_?" Minako asked, her eyes wide.

Usagi burst into a fit of laughter. "Everyone always asks that!" she giggled.

Naru was smiling herself. "I'm half Irish. My Dad is Japanese, and my Mom is Irish."

"That's _so cool_!" Minako said, awe evident in her voice. "So, you speak _Irish_?" This question was met with another round of giggles from Usagi.

Naru shook her head. "No, we only spoke English there. My grandmother knows Irish, though," she said.

"Oh," Minako said. "Well, anyways, Go on!" she said in eager tones, waiting to hear about how Usagi and Naru became friends. Naru nodded, her smile growing wider.

"Well, my Japanese wasn't exactly great when I got here. It was really hard for me to make friends, since none of the other kids understood what I was trying to say. During lunch, I accidentally tripped and fell on the table where some mean-looking students were sitting, and their lunch fell onto their uniforms. They started yelling at me-I couldn't understand them, but the way they were glaring at made me scared. Then, all of a sudden, I see two little balls of yellow, and then I hear a high-pitched squeak. Then Usagi comes barreling right into the kids, squeaking, and she knocks them all over!"

Usagi laughed, slightly embarrassed by the memory. "I had heard those guys being mean to her, so I came over to try and set them straight, but I slipped on some water and fell right on top of them instead."

Naru beamed. "Well, Usagi got right back up and started yelling at them, and they got really scared by the look on her face-oh, man, you've never seen Usagi get angry before. Even back then her glare was scary!"

Usagi laughed. "I picked that look up from my Mom-when _she_ glares at you, it's _super_ scary!"

Minako burst into a fit of boisterous laughter. Little did Usagi and Naru know that Minako did indeed know of the look to which they referred-in fact, Minako had been on the receiving end of that glare on several occasions, thousands of years ago, during the Silver Millennium.

Usagi smiled. "Yea. So, after that, I talked to Naru-chan. I had absolutely _no idea_ what she was saying, but I knew she was lonely, so I decided I'd be her friend!"

Minako shook her head, laughter still shaking her shoulders. "So typical," she managed. "I bet you didn't understand a word of English, either!"

"Pfft," Usagi said. "I _thought_ Naru-Chan was speaking English, but she was just speaking Japanese with a really bad accent!"

Naru giggled. "I thought it was perfect Japanese. It wasn't for another week until I figured out that Usagi couldn't understand me because of my accent. She started "coaching" me and after a while, I got better."

Minako was still snorting out laughter when she heard her name being spoken. She looked up and saw Ms. Haruna standing before her.

"Ms. Aino, I need to speak with you privately," she said. Then the teacher turned and headed to the door. With an apologetic glance over her shoulder, Minako followed Ms. Haruna into the hallway.

"Well, Ms. Aino. I know we spoke briefly about this on the way here, but I'd like to know exactly why you transferred out of Mrs. Smith's class. With your grades, there wasn't really a need for a transfer."

Minako folded her arms. "I felt that Mrs. Smith wasn't challenging me enough, so I hoped that your class would provide a better opportunity for me to learn. And Mrs. Smith and I didn't always see eye-to-eye." It wasn't entirely a lie-the first part was entirely made-up, but the latter part of her statement was true. Somewhat. She and Mrs. Smith had gotten along just fine until the Youma attacks started increasing in frequency, and Minako had been progressively later and later to class. And the fact that Minako would often find herself dozing off during Mrs. Smith's lessons only widened the rift between student and teacher. The result was that, while Minako had managed to maintain her high grades in the class (purely because of the fact that she spoke English already), her conduct grades had plummeted, even as the number of detentions she received for tardiness skyrocketed.

Ms. Haruna regarded Minako for several seconds. "So you didn't transfer to my class because you wanted to spend more time with a friend?" She asked.

Only Minako's training from the Silver Millennium allowed her to check the shock that pounded through her from being read so easily. Ms. Haruna had just guessed the _exact_ reason for her transfer—to spend time with Usagi. Granted, it was also to watch over and protect the reincarnated Princess, but Minako couldn't deny that she had been partially motivated by the want to develop a friendship with her former friend.

"Ms. Haruna," Minako said quietly. "I assure you that my transfer was arranged purely for academic reasons."

Ms. Haruna sighed. "All right, Minako-Chan. But make sure to help Usagi-Chan with her studies—she does not need her grades to fall anymore than they already have."

Minako's thoughts went wild. _Her English grades are suffering?_ she thought. _But Serenity's smart! And she has Naru-Chan to help her study. Why would her grades be falling?_ Concern for Usagi welled up within Minako, but the girl's thoughts were cut short by Ms. Haruna's voice; the woman was speaking again.

"On another note, Ms. Aino, I'd like to test your knowledge of the English language, just to see where you stand in the class. You can either take the test home and finish it over the weekend, or you can finish it now during class."

Minako blinked and thought the decision over for a few moments. "I'll finish it now," she said. _So that I won't have to worry about Youma _and_ homework this weekend,_ she added mentally.

Ms. Haruna nodded, then slid the door back open, and Minako followed the woman inside. "It's on my desk," Ms. Haruna said, sifting through a small pile of papers on the desk. She pulled out a small packet of perhaps three pages length and handed it to Minako's outstretched hand. "Give it to me when you've finished," Ms. Haruna said. Minako nodded, then turned and began heading to her own desk. She glanced up, intending to explain to Usagi and Naru what had just transpired, and then she froze in shock at what she saw, the packet falling from her hands and drifting to the floor. Minako stared for several moments before recovering herself, and then she bent down and retrieved her papers. She returned to her desk, internally shaken by what she had just seen. But outwardly, she smiled and explained to Usagi and Naru what she was doing. Naru offered to help, but Minako waved her hand in dismissal.

"It's okay," she said. "This isn't a grade—Ms. Haruna just wants to see where I am." And so Minako bent over her paper, answering most of the questions easily; but all the while, her thoughts were centered on something else: on the blue-haired girl sitting beside Usagi.

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Ami frowned as she stared at the computer screen, her chin resting on her hand as she read the information on her computer. "That's strange," she mumbled, quickly inputting a small command and watching as a simple yet ingenious program began to search for a certain set of data. A few seconds later, a new window popped up, containing a red circle and the words _Data confirmed: System hacked at 14:09:47:52._ Ami's brows furrowed together as she typed in a new set if commands. After a minute, a roster sheet popped up. _Technology class 2-B. Instructor name: Fujimoto, Satou Z. Class time: 2:00-3:00 period: 7._ Ami perused the names of the students, and her frown deepened. She leaned back in her chair, glancing at the clock that sat atop the bookcase in front of her. Still forty-seven minutes of her study-period left. Ami glanced around the library, making sure no one was looking, and then hacked into the school's detention records. After a quick search, she found that Usagi and Minako were to be sharing a detention later on that very day.

Ami closed that particular file, and then, a few strokes of the keyboard later, she pulled up Aino Minako's student records.

Ten minutes later, she closed all the windows, making sure to delete any trace of her hacking that might have been left in the school's system. She then opened a new window and did a quick internet search. She pulled up dozens of websites, but after fifteen minutes of looking, she had closed all of them, dissatisfied. She typed in one of the dates that had been on Minako's student record-a date when, apparently, Minako had been caught returning onto campus after lunch. Students were not allowed to leave school grounds, even during lunch, so the incident had been documented. It was the only time that Minako had ever skipped school, though Ami had been astounded at the number of tardies the girl had managed to amass.

Several links popped up, but they all seemed to be news articles documenting a severe Youma attack that had occurred that day. On a whim, Ami decided to read one of the articles, just to pass the rest of the class time away.

_Youma incident devastates downtown Tokyo_, the headline read. Ami scrolled down and began to read the article.

_At exactly 12:03, a Youma appeared in downtown Tokyo, on the very busy Ameyoko shopping street. As the street was filled with pedestrians, the Youma was able to commit a mass-drain attack on the people. Sailor V arrived and defeated the monster, but many of the victims were taken to the hospital; six of them were proclaimed dead upon reached the hospital, but all other victims are expected to make a full recovery._

Sailor V showed up thirty minutes after the energy-draining began, and she managed to engage the Youma in combat. The battle was brutal, tearing up several shops and stalls, and sending fish flying as far as 200 meters away. A gaping hole was left in the middle of the road from one of the Youma's attacks. Despite its power, Sailor V overcame it, and the Youma was destroyed. Rescue teams were waiting out of range, directed to wait at a safe distance by Sailor V, and once she had defeated the Youma, the rescue teams immediately began transporting the victims to the hospital.

Sailor V was unable to comment on this attack, as she disappeared afterwards. A total of 73 people experienced energy-drainage from the Youma; 29 people suffered from injury due to debris from the attack; and 6 people lost their lives due to over-exposure to the Youma's life-energy drainage.

Ami scrolled down to the bottom of the article, where a picture of Sailor V was shown, attacking the monster. Ami stared at the picture, something tugging her in the back of her mind. But a clock chimed, and Ami jolted upright, quickly closing the windows and shutting off the computer as she gathered her things and returned to Class 2-A for the rest of her day.

However, the nagging feeling in the back of her mind wouldn't disappear, and Ami bit her lip as she wondered just what Aino Minako was hiding.

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Usagi yawned as she and Minako walked towards class 3-C, where their detention session was to be held. The hallway was busy with students preparing to leave and head home or to cram school, and Usagi held back another yawn as the longing for home and sleep and her bed overtook her.

Minako glanced her way, and Usagi returned the bright smile that Minako sent her. "You ready?" Minako asked, making a face as the class came into view before them.

Usagi sighed. "No," she said honestly.

"It's not that bad, I _promise_," Minako told her. "The teachers just make us do our homework or help the clubs with stuff."

Minako's words soothed Usagi's rapidly beating heart slightly, reassuring the girl. "Blech," Usagi said in an attempt to both hide the anxiety she felt, and to lighten the mood. "Homework." Minako giggled, and then she slid open the door.

Usagi hesitated outside, but Minako grabbed her arm and gently steered her inside the room. Usagi blinked, and then her eyebrows shot up.

"_Umino_?" She squeaked, and the boy lifted his head up from the notebook where he had been scribbling something passionately down. His mouth made a little 'o' shape, and then he waved at the two girls.

"Hi, Usagi-Chan! Hello, Minako-San!" he said, and Usagi saw Minako's amused eyes linger on Umino's glasses for a little longer than necessary.

"Umino," Usagi gasped, sitting down at the open desk next to him. Minako sat next to Usagi, watching the conversation unfold. "Don't tell me _you_ have detention!" she squeaked, astounded that _Umino_, of all people, would be in detention. It was just so unlike him! As it turned out, Usagi was absolutely correct.

"Detention?" Umino asked, adjusting his overlarge, opaque glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. "No, no. I'd never get a detention," he said. "I'm here to help Mr. Satou with his research."

"Research?" Usagi asked, perplexed.

Umino nodded. Then, he glanced around, looking to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation. Nobody was, so he lifted a hand to the side of his mouth and said in a whisper, "It's very secret. I'm not really supposed to talk about it."

Usagi pouted, lifting her hands. "But _Umino-kun_!" she said, jutting her lower lip out. "We promise not to tell anyone! Right, Minako-Chan?" Usagi looked at Minako, and Minako nodded energetically.

"Right!" Minako agreed.

Umino hummed a little, clearly thinking the matter over. Then he smiled. "Well, I trust you, Usagi-chan." He glanced around, once more eyeing the other students to make sure there were no eavesdroppers. Once he had ensured that the other students were ignoring them, he leaned forward. "We're developing software that will hopefully enable us to discover the identity of Sailor V!" he whispered.

Usagi gasped, and she saw Minako stiffen beside her.

"_What?_" Usagi asked, not noticing Minako's wide eyes and the shadow of fear that flicked over the girl's face.

Umino nodded, a grin spreading slowly across his face as he adjusted his glasses once more. "Yes," he said sagely. "I shared my magic-glamour-mask theory with Mr. Satou, and he agreed with me that it was odd—he's been looking into her identity since the day she appeared, and he's had no success. He thinks that, if we can finalize this software, we just might be able to recreate her true facial structure!"

Usagi frowned. "But Sailor V _wants_ her identity to be a secret," she said. "Plus, if people knew who she really was, wouldn't that mean that she'd never be able to relax from saving the world?"

Minako made a small sound then, distracting Usagi, who sent the red-ribboned girl a questioning glance.

Minako waved her hand quickly. "I don't think Sailor V is saving the entire _world_, Usagi-Chan," she said. "Just Tokyo."

Usagi frowned. "But V-Chan has been seen saving people from Youma attacks in other countries, too, right?" she asked.

Minako blinked several times. "_V-Chan_?" Minako asked, a small tinge of rosy hue coloring her cheeks.

Usagi laughed. "I sometimes call her V-Chan," she said, slightly bashful. "I know it's kind of stupid, but-"

"No, no," Minako said quickly. She smiled. "I like it," she said.

"Well, at any rate, we're getting really close to the finishing touches," Umino said. "We're still trying to figure out a code that will fix the bug in the facial-structure-recognition process, but once we figure that out, Mr. Satou is going to program it to recognize key developments in the body to determine her age. And he's even trying to develop some different speech-recognition programs. And there are other programs we're working on, too... "

Minako looked extremely interested in what Umino was saying, but Usagi had lost interest once Umino began to spout all that computer nonsense jargon stuff out. She yawned, then wiped the wetness that had formed from her eyes. "I'm tired," she said, wondering exactly how many times she had said that this week. These nightmares were really taking their toll on her. "I'm going to sleep until Mr. Satou gets here." Her eyes brightened suddenly. "Is he usually late?" she asked.

Minako nodded, still paying attention to the Sailor-V-unmasking stuff that was spewing forth from Umino's mouth. "Yea, he's always pretty late," she said distractedly, and Usagi felt happiness overtake her heart as she sank down onto the desk, head nestled between her arms.

Usagi's breathing evened out quickly, and she soon found herself deep in sleep's dark, cold embrace.

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Sailor V crouched behind a tree, her breathing heavy as she strained her ears to listen for the sound of the Youma's footsteps. Only moments later she heard its thick-skinned, clawed feet pounding the ground as it neared the tree behind which she currently hid. The creature's breath was ragged, and a limp was evident in the sound of one dragging leg.

The creature let out a shriek of frustration, and Sailor V took advantage of the moment, peeking her head out from behind the free and locking onto the Youma as the monster reared back its head while it screamed. She quickly charged a small amount of energy-as much as she dared within the short time span she had- to her hand, lifting it and pointing her finger at the creature's head.

"Crescent Beam!" Sailor V cried, and she rolled sideways, ducking under a small growth of underbrush. She peeked out from between the bushes to see how true her aim had been-and she held back a sigh of relief to see the creature turning to dust before her, the particles being swept quickly away into the gentle night by the light wind. She strained her ears again, listening for other signs of Youma activity, as she climbed out from the underbrush and brushed the leaves off of her fuku. She took deep breaths, evening them out until she was no longer gasping for air, although her heart still thudded in her chest.

She heard a strange sweeping sound, and cocked her head, hoping to hear it better. The sound grew in volume, and Sailor V bit her lip as she realized the sound was familiar, that she ought to recognize it. She looked left, right, behind her, trying to identify where the sound that kept increasing in volume was coming from. _What in Heaven's name,_ Sailor V thought, and then her eyes widened.

Just as Sailor V realized it was the flapping of thick, leathery wings, a Youma's piercing shriek ripped through the sky, and Sailor V jerked as a pair of talons wrapped around her, lifting her up off of the ground. A cry of pain was wrenched from her throat as the Youma's talons began to sink into her, drawing bloody gashes along her arms and side, and Sailor V struggled, trying to shift her position so that she could aim an attack at the creature.

From the corner of her eye, Sailor V saw that the ground was slowly falling away as the Youma rapidly beat its thick wings, struggling with the new additional weight that it carried.

"Are you ready to die?" hissed the Youma, and Sailor V gasped as she felt energy begin to seep from her soul, into the talons that gripped her.

"Not yet," she whispered between grit teeth, finally able to wrench her hand free of the talons that gripped her. Even as she felt her life-force ebbing away, she pushed energy into her fingertip. "Crescent Beam!" she yelled, and though her shot only managed to clip the side of the Youma's face, the Youma screeched in agony as the damaged area crumbled into dust, and its hold on Sailor V loosened. Sailor V took advantage of the moment, throwing herself from the Youma's grip and falling to the ground. She rolled to lessen the impact, but stars still sprang into her vision. She blinked them away, then rolled onto her feet, swaying as she rose into a crouch. The Youma had recovered from writhing in the air, and its red eyes locked into hers. It swooped downwards, its scaly body following it, talons outstretched to grab hold of her once more.

Sailor V considered her options of attack as the monster rapidly approached her. She was still too dazed to summon a concentrated beam of energy at the monster, and because the Youma had drained much of her energy, she didn't think she had enough power left in her to use her Rolling Heart Vibration; and the Youma would just dodge it if she threw her compact—_The Compact!_ Minako thought, her eyes widening. The compact which allowed her to transform (and, incidentally, also doubled as a magnificent boomerang) utilized moonlight energy as a power source, charging every night at her window while she slept tiredly. She usually didn't use its powers in battle, because it would take an outrageously long amount of time to re-charge the thing, but right now, all Sailor V cared about was surviving this attack so she could continue to protect her Princess and help her comrades recover their memories so that they, too, could protect Usagi.

"Crescent Super Beam!" cried Sailor V, opening her compact to allow it to catch a ray of moonlight and reflect it upon the Youma, who was now only three meters away. Sailor V felt the moon-based energy shoot forth from the compact, the glowing beam of light colliding with the winged Youma, eliciting a scream from the beast as it was engulfed within the blast of pure silver energy and crumbled to dust.

Sailor V felt the power ebb as the compact darkened, and she staggered towards a tree, sitting down and leaning against its bark. She allowed her Compact to fade away, and she slowed her breathing until her pounding heart had steadied.

Already she was beginning to feel the aches from her various scrapes and bruises-all of which she had received today. She cast her eyes on the particularly nasty cut on her arm; even with the natural gift of accelerated healing that the Senshi were blessed to have, she knew that the cut would not be healed by tomorrow-she would just have to wear her winter uniform and make up some excuse as to why she would be wearing it in the dead of summer. Gritting her teeth, she staggered upright, ignoring the pain that shot through her side from a particularly nasty gash. She summoned her transformation pen into her hand.

"Boss," she said. "Where's Artemis?"

The tip of the pen flashed red, blinking in response. "He is currently researching the Youma attacks of the past seven weeks, trying to find a pattern in the Dark Kingdom's seemingly random movements." Sailor V's brows furrowed behind her mask, and her mouth opened as though to respond. "He is at Headquarters," Boss said, answering Sailor V's question.

The girl nodded. "Can you sense any more Youma presences?" she asked.

"No. That seems to be it for the night. I will inform you immediately if I sense any new Youma energies emerge, however."

"Thanks," Sailor V said, and then she began limping to the edge of the park. "Why do they always attack here, anyways," she muttered darkly, her transformation pen through which Boss communicated with her gripped tightly in her hand. "And a _ton_ of people come through here, even though everyone knows it's got the highest rate of Youma attacks."

The pen in her hand blinked its red light, as though laughing silently. "Perhaps they trust that you will protect them well enough," said the metallic, ringing voice of Boss.

Sailor V smiled sadly, casting her gaze up to the waning crescent moon hanging softly in the dark blue sky, framed by dark grey clouds. She leapt onto the low roof of a small building, ignoring the pain from her various wounds, and allowed her finger to trace the crescent moon on her forehead-the sigil that, for all its glamour, served only one purpose: to distract the enemy from the true Princess. It was her duty, and one she performed wholeheartedly and willingly, to act as a decoy—a fake Princess—in order to protect Usagi from any and all harm.

Still, Sailor V thought as she let her hand fall from her forehead and ran to the other end of the building. She leapt across the wide gap between it and its neighboring edifice, once more ignoring the stinging pain from her injuries. Still, she thought again as she leapt from building to building in the dark night. If there was one twinge of longing that Sailor V felt during these long treks home, it was the want of that warm feeling one has when one knows there is someone standing behind you, ready to catch you if you fall. Although she would never regret her decision to protect the Princess, Sailor V couldn't deny that having someone-or a group of someone's- standing by your side made protecting the Princess a whole lot easier.

Finally, thirty minutes later, Minako slid into her open window, closing the curtains behind her as she allowed her transformation to fade, revealing a crescent-themed set of pajamas, and Sailor V slippers. She summoned her compact into her hand as she plopped down onto her bed, a huge gust of air escaping her lungs. Opening it slowly, she stared hard into its surface. In her other hand, she summoned he transformation pen, curling her fingers around it delicately.

"Artemis," she said, and then her reflection flickered in the mirror, revealing a large pair of blue eyes surrounded by a blanket of snow-colored fur.

"Minako-Chan?" asked the cat, concern evident in his voice and his eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," she said. "It's good news, actually." She grinned. "I found Mercury," she said.

The pen held delicately in her palm flickered its red light as it spoke up. "You met with Mercury?"

Minako's grin faltered. "Well, sort of," she said. "She's got a shorter haircut than she used to have. It's not shoulder-length anymore, like it used to be. It's cut short, in a cute little hairstyle. I think it suits her better, actually, and—" her voice broke off as she noted the annoyed expression on the cat's face. She cleared her throat. "Anyways." she continued. "She sits right next to the Princess!"

"I had suspected as much," Boss said, the winking red light blinking quickly in the dark. "Your heart-ties with the Princess are much stronger than anticipated. The others are probably not too far off, either."

Minako nodded. Then her face darkened. "Also, at detention today, I found a student who is working with the technology teacher on some sort of program that's designed to unmask me." She huffed. "Literally."

The red pen winked a few times. "It should not be a problem," Boss said. "The technology of earth has not reached the advanced level where it might pose a threat."

"It's true," said Artemis, speaking up. "The Magical Shields that Surround a Senshi when transformed are almost impenetrable."

"Almost," Minako said, knowing from her memories of her last life the only weaknesses that the Magical Shields had. "But if my mask is removed, then they'll know who I am." She hurried forward, not wanting her companions to interrupt. "And that's _exactly_ what they're trying to do. They're _unmasking_ me using technology! I don't know if that rule applies to a digital image of myself, but I'm willing to bet that—just like in real life—if I'm unmasked in any way, they'll realize who I am. And these guys are smart," she said, lifting the pen directly in front of her. "They've figured out how to bypass one of the Magical Shields' minor barriers-they know my eyes are blue!"

She was met with silence. Minako walked across the room, her slippered feet padding softly across her carpeted floor, and she stopped before her desk, where she lightly placed the pen down.

"I'm going to have to watch them," she said. Then her frown grew. "If you'd just let me _tell_ them, I know Mercury would-" she began, but broke off the pen in her hand flashed dangerously.

"You will _not_ tell them of their past lives." Dead silence filled the darkened room, and the pale moonlight falling softly through the window seemed to pale in comparison to the stunningly crimson light clutched tightly in Minako's palm. "They must gradually awaken on their own, just as you were allowed to awaken."

Minako snorted. "It's not a _gradual_ process," she said, though she seemed resigned. "Nothing about being a Senshi is _gradual_," she muttered.

Artemis sighed, the sound emerging as a wave of static from Minako's compact. "Would that I could, I'd hand Mercury her Pen right away. But I can't." His eyes glazed over, seeing something in the distance beyond Minako, and his next words emerged as a whisper. "We need to find Luna." Then he signed off, static blurring the glass of the compact before Minako's own sad, regretful eyes came into focus in her compact's reflection.

Minako took a deep breath, knowing that their conversation had reached its close. She closed her compact, and thought about how desperately Artemis must be researching, clacking away at a computer until the sunrise in a dazzling display of pink and yellow and blue, searching for someone they had searched for and not found for over three years. Minako placed the pen on her desk, and then returned to her bed, slipping under the covers.

"Good night, Boss," she whispered, and a faint flashing of red was her only response.

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Usagi jolted up from her pillow, slicked with sweat and breathing heavily, her eyes roving around the room in a panic until, gradually, she took in the familiar setting of her cluttered floor, the reassuring beams of moonlight shining through her thin curtains. All was as it should be.

She swallowed the taste of bile from her mouth, trying not to remember the screams and blood and pain and fear she had experienced. She closed her eyes, slowed her breathing, tried to relax, to fall asleep. It took her an hour and a half, but finally, at four am, her eyes beneath closed eyelids stopped twitching and dancing in their sockets, and her fist, tightly gripping her comforter, uncurled and lay still as her chest slowly rose and fell in the restful silence of sleep.

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Tuxedo Kamen startled awake, a searing pain in his head as a whisper of a voice cried in pain. No, not Tuxedo Kamen-though tuxedo Kamen did indeed flicker in and out of existence, his clothes a ghostly apparition surrounding the young second-year college student, Chiba Mamoru.

Tuxedo Kamen—no, Chiba Mamoru—finally stopped winking in and out of existence, and he gripped his head firmly between his hands, cradling his skull desperately as though it would split apart into two without his hands to hold it in place.

He finally lowered his hands, staring at his palms, at the memory of the thick, wet blood that had covered them and vanished along with his cape and mask just moments ago. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he threw his sheets off the bed and swung his legs over the side. His hand grabbed at the counter beside his bed and felt desperately along the hard surface until his fingers finally found the cold brass of a small key and closed around it, feeling the hard edges press into his skin.

He rose from the bed quickly and walked steadily towards his study, hissing as he bumped into objects in the surrounding dark through which his eyes could not pierce. He finally reached the door, feeling along its painted surface until he found the door handle and unlocked it. He stepped inside, switched the light on, closed the door behind him, blinked furiously to make his temporarily blinded eyes see, and then locked the door.

He crossed the room and sat before his desk as he had many times before, eyeing the fresh jewels he had found that night before he went to bed. None, he knew, were the Crystal that he sought. As he recalled the desperate voice from his dreams and the heart-wrenching keen from his nightmares, he wondered if perhaps he indeed had the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou in his possession and simply didn't realize it. Though he doubted this to be true, the nagging thought simply wouldn't leave him be as the echoes of his nightmare haunted him, and so Mamoru unlocked his drawers and proceeded to examine all the precious stones he had collected over the years.

After two hours, he had looked at all of them, carefully examined a handful, and found nothing. He growled in the back of his throat, the combination of useless searching and loss of sleep causing him to curse the wretched crystal that haunted his dreams. But then he remembered the mysterious girl's pleas, and he closed his eyes, feeling his anger ebb away from him as he took a deep, calming breath. He rose and collected the gemstones and jewels, carefully replacing them inside their respective drawers, and then he locked them in again. Mamoru left the room, turning the light off and locking the door behind him, and headed to the kitchen. He went to his medicine cabinet, grabbed an aspirin, and went to the kitchen to fill a glass of water. He swallowed the water and tablet greedily, savoring the cold liquid as it rushed down his throat. He finished and placed the cup in the dishwasher, then returned to his bedroom and looked at the digital clock beside his bed. 3:47. He returned to his bed, the covers warm against the skin he hadn't realized to be so cold, and Mamoru closed his eyes. After several minutes, once sleep had overtaken him, the frown that seemed forever etched upon his face gave way to a small, brief grin.

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A/N: Wellp, there ya have it. Chappie two! At the time that I wrote most of this, school was but a week or so away, and I had 3 books to read-the Odyssey, the Poisonwood Bible, and The Game of Thrones. Let me tell you guys something: don't you EVER put off summer reading. It is NOT worth it. I ended up staying up till 1 or 2 constantly, since I would write on my iPhone or itouch before I went to bed. Oh yeah, another thing: if there any awkward typos, syntax errors, or things of that nature, please tell me—there's no spell-check for these iPod devices, only an auto-correct that sometimes changes perfectly good, normal words to strange things. Like sec (short for second) to sex. Turns a perfectly normal text like "just gimme a sec" into "just gimme a sex." Very interesting conversations can ensue.  
Anyways, it's been several months since then. Sorry if these slow updates will kill you—I'm the kind of senior who decided to take 5 AP classes. Not a wise decision. Add to that the fact that I have music classes and homework, and, well... My life is extraordinarily busy. But I gave up procrastination for lent, y'all, so we'll see how this works out! xD (wish me luck; I'll need it.)  
This chapter was actually written less than a week after I'd written the first one; by the time I published chapter one, this chapter had already been in the works, and was done save for editing. But chapter three proved difficult to write. Especially since I'm not entirely sure where I want to go with this story. But I hope the creativity starts sparking and we get somewhere with this. I do have some ideas in mind; we'll see how those turn out. In chapter three, some of the characters sort of hijacked the story, so I didn't really get much say in what happened plot-wise. Luckily, things turned out close to how I had envisioned them. So, chapter four is in the works; once chapter four is written, I can start editing chapter three, and then publish it. :)  
Until next time!


	3. Chapter 3: First Encounters

Disclaimer: While I do covet the series, I can't steal it. Plus, Takeuchi-Sensei is so awesome and amazing, I'd never want to steal from her. Cuz that would be mean and selfish. And one of the themes in Sailor Moon is choosing to do the right thing rather than the wrong thing. So, in light of this and in respect of Takeuchi-sensei and Sailor Moon, I have chosen to speak the sad, sad truth: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Also, just a quick shout-out to my bestie and twin, Myomi-chan! You're the sweetest, coolest, funnest (yes, I just made that word up), awesomest, wonderful-est, loveliest person I know, and I love you very, very much! Everyone should go check out all her Naruto stories—they are FANTASTIC! :)

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**Sailor Moon: Haato Wa Mangekyou**

Chapter 3: First Encounters

* * *

Ami blinked blearily at her alarm clock, for just a few moments wondering what in heaven's name could be causing such a god-awful sound. Then she remembered that she had set her alarm clock to go off at five in the morning, and she groaned internally as her arm slipped from under her covers to turn the wretchedly shrill alarm off.

Ami slid off of her bed and stood, wobbling slightly from the haze that follows one after a fitful night of sleep. She stretched a little, and the feeling caused her to become more alert—she didn't quite feel ready yet for a long day of studying and investigating, but she was up, so it was time to start her day.

The first thing Ami intended to do today was look up more information surrounding Aino Minako. When the girl had transferred into their class, Ami had known immediately that something had happened to the school's scheduling system—Ami knew, from her previous hacking endeavors, that the maximum class size was 25 for every class, and classes such as 2-A were already full; Minako's former class, however, 2-B, had exactly two free spaces as there were only 23 students. And 2-C also had a few extra spaces for any transfer students. So why had Minako been switched to class 2-A when she could have gone to class 2-C? From what Ami had heard Minako telling Usagi in homeroom, Ami had thought the reason was that she and Mrs. Smith were having problems, and perhaps Minako's grades were not up to par; however, Ami had checked Minako's grades and found, to her surprise, that they were very high—all A's, in fact.

_Why_ would Aino Minako hack the system to change her class? That was the question running through Ami's head as she sat down at her desk and booted up her computer. She ran a quick scan to clean her computer of any viruses it might have picked up, and while that program was running, she cleared the cookies and double-checked the security of her firewall and network security, adding a bit of code just to enhance the protection. A small 'ding' sounded, and Ami was pleased to find that no viruses had yet managed to penetrate her security. She then hid her IP address and activated her Anonymous program (a program of her own invention which hid all traces of her browser and Internet activity once activated), and then proceeded to peruse the Internet, scouring its many pages for any mention of Aino Minako. She knew it was probably an endeavor doomed to failure—her search at school had turned up no results, but she wanted to check, nonetheless; Ami used a more sophisticated search engine at home, after all, so it might turn something up.

A minute later, and Ami sighed as she closed the window, having found no results of interest. She opened a new application, and then began her search anew, with a growing suspicion that she would actually have some results this time. This program was also of Ami's own creation and, sure enough, after having typed in the words "Aino Minako", about seventy different results popped up in her browser. Ami felt a grim sort of satisfaction spread through her—she had designed this program to scour not only the Internet, but also for deleted and protected information. It also provided access to a few government databases, as well as connections to online computers. But the fact that it had taken Ami this amount of effort to find information on Minako meant that Minako, the cheerful blonde girl who had befriended Usagi, was hiding something she desperately wanted to keep secret.

Ami clicked on the first link and then blinked in surprise as she saw that the wall of text before her was written in a programming language she didn't know. She went back to the page of search results and clicked on a second, third, fourth, fifth link, her astonishment increasing with every click of her mouse.

Every single link. Every single one had been hidden and encoded using a programming language she had no knowledge of. Ami stared at the symbols before her, her mouth pinched as she scanned the page, looking at the familiar symbols of text arranged in a completely foreign and unfamiliar manner. Ami experienced a mixture of awe and anger—this language was more complex than any she had encountered before, and while that meant that whoever hid the data on Minako was a genius, it also meant that Ami couldn't discover what it was that Minako was hiding. She was now more determined than ever to figure out what was going on.

Ami sighed as she scrolled down the page, her brain registering patterns in the program as she tried to figure out what the symbols were being used for. After an hour, she huffed in frustration and closed all her programs, having only discovered three patterns—two of which were very small and could be tied to a longer command and might then not be connected at all.

As Ami opened yet another program of her own invention, she glanced at the clock and noted the time: 6:28. She typed a set of commands into the program, and then her computer began emitting a low hum as it commenced the long process of deciphering the coding language and its format. Ami had used this program on a few occasions when she had encountered a new coding language that she wanted to learn but hadn't the time to decipher. This program resolved that issue for her; while she was at school, or while she did her homework, it would run through the language and analyze the patterns and forms. Once it had done this, Ami had programmed it to display both the original language and the results of its analysis side-by-side, allowing her to see the "translation" of the code without having to discover it herself.

Granted, the program did have its drawbacks. Ami had tested it the day after having developed it, and found—to her dismay—that it took about triple the time to decipher a language than it would have taken her to decipher the language. It was also only about 98% accurate and was prone to small errors when longer, more intricate codes were involved. Nonetheless, its usefulness as a tool outweighed its small failures, and so Ami had used it to learn several programming languages. The longest and most difficult program it had ever deciphered had taken it three hours to scan through, and she was proud of her program when she returned home from her cram school with the analyzed copy waiting at her computer.

Unfortunately, as Ami opened up the link to one of the strange, hidden articles, and looked at the code once more, she realized that this code was probably going to take several hours to decipher—perhaps it would even take up to or more than a day for her program to analyze its contents. Slightly perturbed by this fact, Ami activated her program and allowed it to run in the background as she opened a new window and began writing down a new code that would scour and record the programming language for her to study once her program had finished running.

She had to find out what Aino Minako was hiding. If the girl had gone to this great a length to hide her secret—inventing such a complicated coding language, deleting all online evidence of herself, and even mostly erasing her hacking activity in the school's system—then her secret had to be something very important. Maybe even dangerous. And, for a strange, inexplicable reason that Ami couldn't justify or even truly identify, she felt the strangest urge to keep Usagi safe. If this girl was going to harm Usagi in any way, Ami wouldn't allow it—and she was going to find out Minako's true intentions whether the blonde girl wanted Ami to or not.

Ami sighed, then retreated to her bed and plopped down on it, pulling her bag towards her and reluctantly retrieving her homework from it. Usually Ami enjoyed doing her homework and studying, but the low, humming whir of her computer served as a reminder of Minako's secret, and Ami couldn't seem to find any enjoyment in her studies while that small but pervasive sound filled her ears.

* * *

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* * *

Usagi groaned as she walked along the frozen foods aisle, looking behind the glass doors for the bag of vegetables her mother had ordered her to buy. Frozen Peas. Nope. Frozen broccoli. Ick, _no._ Frozen carrots. Nope. Frozen corn. Not that, either...

"Aha!" Usagi exclaimed as she found the mixed vegetables and opened the door to grab them, the cool air of the store's freezer creating a pleasant sensation on her face. Usagi dumped the bag of veggies into her cart and then sighed in relief, closing the door.

"Phew!" she said, turning the cart (which was, by this point in her shopping) filled to the brim. "That was the last thing." Usagi crumpled her mother's grocery list and stuffed the small piece of paper into the pocket of her shorts. She walked towards the front, one hand guiding the grocery cart as the other felt for her mother's credit card in her pocket, when she was suddenly distracted by one particular aisle of frozen goods. She hesitated, clearly torn.

_Well,_ she thought. _We __**are**__ running low._ A guilty smile crossed her face as she opened the door and grabbed a gallon of chocolate ice cream, her mouth watering. She placed it gently upon the cart and then skipped happily towards the check-out. Or, she would have, except that she ran into a problem along the way to the front. Literally.

Her cart rammed into something large and sturdy, causing the cart to jerk to a stop, and Usagi gasped at the same time as another voice grunted.

"I'm _so sorry_!" she exclaimed as she reflexively flung into a bow. She straightened quickly, however, intending to ask whether the person she had rammed was okay or not—

"Odango Atama," said a familiar voice, and Usagi's concerned expression morphed into one of horror as she looked up at the young man from the day before, his dark blue eyes flashing as he watched her rise from her bow. He was clutching his stomach, and a pained expression was on his face.

Usagi bristled. "Y-you!" she said between gritted teeth, incensed at the rude nickname. "Don't _call_ me that!"

The young man shrugged, a gust of air escaping his lips in a "humph". "I told you yesterday, Odango Atama. Watch where you're going. That's two times in as many days." He opened his mouth to continue, but Usagi's anger had reached such a boil that she interrupted him.

"It's not _my_ fault! _You're_ the one not paying attention!" Usagi snapped. She glared at him as she walked past, pushing her cart with much more force than was necessary. She stomped to the register and didn't glance back to see raised eyebrows hidden beneath dark locks and an amused smile curling at deep blue eyes.

* * *

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Hino Rei sighed as she swept the fallen leaves and litter from the shrine's steps, watching as the stray leaves floated down on a weak breeze. She started to drift off, wondering what it felt like to be a leaf, to just be carried aloft, help up by some invisible force—and then she was surprised from her musings as a familiar head poked its way into her vision.

Blue hair bobbed up and down as Mizuno Ami, a dear friend and confidante of Rei's, walked briskly up the steps to the shrine. Ami stopped once she reached the top, and she smiled at the girl in miko robes.

"Good afternoon, Rei-San," she smiled. Rei returned the grin, and moved forward to embrace the girl. It had been almost a week since Ami's last visit, and Rei had missed the company of her best friend; of course, Rei always had her crows' company, but Phobos and Deimos didn't offer nearly the amount of companionship that Rei desperately craved.

"Afternoon, Ami-Chan," Rei said as the pair hugged. "What have you been up to?"

Ami paused, and then sighed, instantly igniting Rei's curiosity. Ami was not usually one to sigh, and Rei noticed the troubled look on the other girl's face.

"Well," Ami began. "That's actually one of the reasons I came today. Usually, I'd still be doing my homework, but I have a favor to ask of you, if you're willing, Rei-San."

Rei shrugged. "It depends on what it is you need, but I'll try my best to help you," she said. "Let's go inside." Rei lead Ami inside the shrine. Rei took a small detour to return the broom to its cupboard before she and Ami walked to Rei's room.

"So, what is it you need?" Rei asked once the pair had settled; Ami in a chair, and Rei on her bed. Rei watched as Ami fidgeted uncomfortably and then sighed. Again.

"I...Rei-San, I'm sorry to bother you about this. Usually, I'm not a very... _religious_ person," Ami began hesitantly. "I don't mean to offend you," she added hurriedly.

Rei laughed. "Don't worry. It doesn't bother me." Rei smiled at Ami, a sign for the girl to continue.

Ami did so. "Well, usually I don't tend to harbor any religious or superstitious feelings. However, I've encountered a situation that's... Completely... Illogical."

Rei nodded. "Go on."

"Right," Ami said, her eyebrows drawing together. "Well, I'm not sure if I should tell you all the details. I'm still unsure about things myself, and I don't want to be misleading in any way. But... Oh, there's no way to put this except to bluntly... Well, all right then. There's a girl at my school who seems... Suspicious."

Rei's eyebrows rose. "Suspicious? How so?" She inquired.

Ami sighed. "Well, that's the thing. I really have no reason to find her suspicious at all, really—she transferred into my class just this week, and she's a very sweet individual."

"Then what makes her suspicious?" Rei asked, noting that her friend seemed frustrated with herself for something. Ami's hands were clasped tightly, and her thumbs twiddled in a never ending pattern.

Ami sighed again, and finally raised her eyes to meet with Rei's. "She hacked the school's system in order to be transferred into my class, and she lied about her reason for transferring. She was doing perfectly well in her classes, so the excuse she used for being transferred—she said she was having difficulties in her English class—was a complete fabrication. It didn't sit well with me, so I decided to do some research on her."

Rei nodded. "I don't blame you," she said. "This girl does seem suspicious." Normally, Rei wouldn't have found such behavior suspicious at all. Odd, maybe, but then, teenagers were known for their spontaneity. Rei would usually have attributed such behavior to a simple act of rebelliousness, fueled by teenage hormones and angst. _And yet_, Rei thought, _I have a bad feeling...something more is going on behind the scenes here._ She shivered as a foreboding feeling trickled down her spine. "Did you find anything?"

Ami nodded, her expression serious as her eyes set in determination. "Yes, I did. She's hidden all the information I could possibly find on her using an advanced code. She seems to have developed a code language so sophisticated that it will take my program three days to figure it out." Ami's deep frown indicated her displeasure with the notion.

Rei blinked in astonishment. She was not sure exactly what Ami meant, since Rei usually avoided computers like the plague, but she had been friends with Ami long enough to have picked up an average understanding of computers. And, knowing of Ami's prowess with technology, it was nearly impossible to believe that Ami was having this much trouble. "So... You don't know what she's hiding?"

Ami shook her head. "I've no idea at the moment. For all I know, she might just be hiding several delinquent acts that she doesn't want future employers to find—but... my intuition tells me that there's something much more sinister going on here."

Rei looked into Ami's eyes and saw a fierce emotion burning behind them; it took her several moments until she finally discerned what that hidden emotion was, and she was stunned.

Fierce protection. Ami was feeling a strong sense of devotion towards someone, and it was driving her to discover the secrets of this suspicious girl at school. Rei had known Ami for two years, now, and she had rarely seen such devotion cross the girl's face as it did now. Strangely, Rei felt happy for the usually shy and reserved Ami.

"That's why I'm here," Ami explained. "I know your powers of perception are... Exceptional. So, if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to ask for your help." At the request, Ami bowed slightly, her nervousness evident in her formal behavior.

Rei smiled, trying to alleviate her friend's discomfort. "Oh, get up, Ami-Chan—there's no need for that," she said jokingly. Then Rei's expression grew more serious, though her eyes still glinted beneath her dark bangs. Ami was well out of her comfort zone at the moment. "Of course I'll help you, Ami-chan. So, what was it you had in mind for me, exactly?"

Ami smiled, relieved that her friend had decided to assist her. "I need you to look in your sacred fire for the suspicious girl. Perhaps you'll be able to find something that will help us solve this mystery."

Rei stood, brushing the creases from her miko outfit. "No problem," she said. "C'mon." Rei exited the room, and Ami trailed after her. Rei walked down the narrow wooden hallways until she reached the sacred scrying room. She slid open the door, and stepped inside, feeling a tension in her body she hasn't been aware of relax as the warmth from the great fire reached her.

Rei sat down in front of the fire and waited for Ami to settle into a cushion in the back. Once the blue-haired girl was comfortable, Rei took a deep breath and focused her energy into the fire, feeling its power before her in dancing waves of heat and energy. Rei felt the pull of the fire, and she reached into her pocket and grabbed her sacred beads. She performed several perfunctory motions before settling the beads into her hands, entwining them within her fingers.

Using the beads as an anchor, Rei returned her attention to the great flame, feeling its heat rush over her, beckoning to her. She concentrated, and after several minutes, she felt something in her mind open, like a gate leading to the unknown. She felt the fire pulling her, enticing her towards that open door, but before she gave into its call, she had one question to ask.

"What's the girl's name?"

Ami twitched I'm surprise at the unexpected sound of Rei's voice. Rei waited patiently as Ami recovered, and then opened her mouth to speak.

"Aino Minako," she said. "Her name is Aino Minako."

With that information in mind, Rei nodded, and returned her attention to the door. _Aino Minako_, she thought as she allowed the unknown gate to open fully, bathing her in the fire's intense heat. Images began to form in her mind's eye, disjointed at first, and then sharper and clearer. The images trickled into her mind slowly at first, but soon they were tearing at her, a torrent of colors and emotions. She gasped as the images and feelings assaulted her, tearing at her mind through the heat of the fire. _It's too much!_ thought a panicked and distraught Rei. _I can't—_but the images kept pouring into her mind, too quickly for the young miko to interpret and understand. The influx of information flooded her mind, a great inundation the likes of which she could not control, and she felt like she was drowning, drowning in memories that were not her own, she—

Hino Rei let out a strangled cry of pain, and then she passed out.

* * *

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Tuxedo Kamen scowled at the jewels he held in his hand. He doubted that any of these were the one he was looking for. Gingerly, he replaced most of them, saving the few promising gems and placing them in his pockets. He silently closed the lid of the display case, locked it, and turned to the next row of jewels behind him.

He nearly snorted in amusement. The clearance section. No, he wouldn't find any genuine jewels here—he knew from experience. After all, he had been clearing out jewelry stores for years now, and he had wasted several hours in his early days as a masked thief by examining every gem in a store, even those in the clearance section. He knew, from his experience, that there was never anything of extreme value to be found there. But, as Tuxedo Kamen was a cautious man, he glanced over the gems nonetheless, though he didn't move to open the glass case. It was no surprise when he confirmed them all to be cheap plastic. He moved to a different aisle, hoping he would be more successful there.

_Pearls_, he thought as he walked down the aisle and observed its contents. _Pretty as these are, they're no Crystal._ He continued farther down the aisle, and stopped dead in his tracks as he passed a certain display case.

_Crystals._ The right corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. _Bingo._ Quietly, and with the ease of practice from several years' experience, Tuxedo Kamen unlocked the case with the end of a pliable rose. It was a trick he had learned as a child at the orphanage; when the other kids would lock the doors to their rooms, he would simply pick a rose from the rosebush outside and use its stem to pick the lock. It had baffled him as a child when he'd discovered that the other kids couldn't make the stem take on the mould of the lock's inner mechanisms. As he grew older, however, he came to realize the truth. He was no ordinary boy. Later, the dreams came. And he began his search for the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou, at the silhouette's request, and in the hope of alleviating his nightmares.

Shaking his head to dispel the images in his head of blood and death, Tuxedo Kamen opened the lid and reached inside, picking up a particularly large crystal. He placed it gingerly in his pocket after turning it over for a few moments, glad that the pockets of his tuxedo possessed an infinite amount of storage space. He perused the remaining crystals and pocketed a handful of them; the rest, he left as he had found them. He closed the case, locked it, and then continued to walk through the store. One never knew what else a jewelry store might hide, after all. One time, he had searched the front of a store and deemed it worthless; at least, until he had stumbled into the back of the store. It had been chalk full of precious, one-of-a-kind gems, and he had spent several hours in the store, gathering precious metals and gems. However, in this particular store, his search happened to be fruitless; nothing of note was to be found. Of course, there was a door that led further into the store, but judging by the light that filtered through from under the wood, he suspected there was somebody on the other side.

Tuxedo Kamen sighed, prepared to leave, when he heard a muffled voice from the back of the store. Reacting on instinct, the masked man threw himself down behind a display case, flattening himself as low to the ground as he could. He cursed his tall stature mentally—his head and top hat were visible through the glass of the display, if one knew where to look. Then he froze as the door opened, and the muffled voices turned into words.

"Mom, I think I heard something in the store." A teenage girl with a shock of red hair—_unusual color, for Japan_ thought Tuxedo Kamen in wry amusement from his hiding place—appeared, her eyes narrowed at the darkness of the store. She peered into the shadows, and Tuxedo Kamen drew further back, hoping she wouldn't see him.

"There's nothing there. Now go to bed," came the voice of an older woman from the back of the store.

"But, Mom," said the girl, her eyes still searching the dark. "I really think—"

"I said _go to bed,_ didn't I?" demanded the older woman's voice. Tuxedo Kamen couldn't help but flinch at the unforgiving tone. "I have work to finish. Now get to bed, right now, you brat! Listen to your mother like a good little girl!"

The young girl suddenly began to back away nervously from the door. "M-Mom?" She asked. "You've been acting strange all day. Are you okay?" The girl passed through the doorway, and backed into the store. A new figure passed through the door, following after the girl.

Tuxedo Kamen frowned at the grimacing older woman; she gave off an abnormally dark aura. If he didn't know better, he might have mistaken her aura for...

"I'm _fine_, daughter. Now go to bed. _Immediately!_"

The girl continued to back away, and Tuxedo Kamen narrowed his eyes as a shiver of foreboding ran through his spine. _What...?_

"M-Mom," said the girl, the fear she felt evident in her voice. "W-what's my name?"

The older woman's frown deepened into a scowl. "What a preposterous question! _Now get to bed!"_

The girl shook her head. "You," she gasped, her breathing becoming shallow and rapid. "Y-you're not my mother!"

The older woman paused before a cackle rose in her throat. Tuxedo Kamen saw something move in the corner of his eye, and he turned his head, only to find himself staring into the street through a wall of glass—the front display window of the store. Nothing out there but shadows. At least, that's what he thought—until he noticed a shadow that _moved_. A sickening feeling pooled in his stomach. If that was what he thought it was...

"I guess you had to notice at _some_ point, though it sure did take you a long time," cackled the older woman, and Tuxedo Kamen turned his head in time to see the middle-aged woman melt into a dark, shadowy creature. Dread filled him as he realized what was going on. He pushed himself to his feet, and summoned his cane to his hand, where it appeared in a wisp of smoke.

"And now that you've figured it out, there's no point in keeping you alive. I'm going to take all of your life-energy, and present it to my dear master!"

The red-haired girl could only gasp in fear as the imposter in the form of her mother was replaced by a grotesque monster. "Youma," she breathed.

That was when the glass wall behind her shattered.

* * *

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* * *

Sailor V yawned as she hopped along a rooftop, a small white blur of fur keeping pace with her as she ventured from roof to roof.

"Artemis," she said as she landed gracefully atop a large warehouse, and there was concern in the look that she gave her small companion. "I don't think this is really much of a lead-"

"Minako-Chan," interrupted the cat in a stern voice, his icy blue gaze staring piercingly into the distance. "You know it's the only lead we _have_." The cat blinked once, his determined eyes fixed on the masked superhero's eyes, and then burst into a sprint again, a white blur as he jumped onto the next roof.

Sailor V sighed, pushing some of her hair behind her ear. There was really no point, of course, as it would return to its windblown position once the girl started hopping along the roofs again. For a few moments, she watched her friend from behind as he scurried across another warehouse roof, watching his tail curl and his hackles slowly rise as thunder crashed in the distance. He jumped to the next warehouse, and she winced when he landed wrong and staggered, then recovered his footing and continued again. The young woman increased her pace.

"It's just," she began once she had caught up with the cat. "Luna doesn't strike me as a someone who'd live with somebody whose name is Selene. It's too... _obvious_. Not to mention dangerous."

Artemis let out a huff. "Unless you have any better ideas, this is what we're going to be doing for the next few weeks. Now get ready—we're here."

Sailor V bit her tongue and said no more, even as the pair slowed down and dropped into an alley. The young superhero reached behind her and pulled out her compact, then lifted it high into the air as she murmured a soft command. Bright pink lights danced along the brick walls of the alley, and once the dancing colors had faded, a young, blonde man stood in the girl's place, his eyes remarkably similar to hers.

Artemis turned and padded out from the alley, and the disguised Sailor V followed him closely, adjusting her usually flawless posture into a slouch as she loped behind her friend, his tail trailing behind him.

The disguised Sailor V swallowed as she took in her surroundings of dilapidated old buildings, several boarded up and decorated with a layer of spray-paint that she was sure hadn't been a part of the original designs. The street lights were dim, and a few cast no light at all, leaving alleys hidden in a darkness that she shivered to imagine. As she walked by a group of young men smoking cigarettes and eyeing her closely, she suddenly became aware of her clothing and was utterly thankful of the fact that she was wearing only jeans and a rather faded shirt, complete with cheap tennis shoes.

As she and Artemis rounded a corner, she heard laughter from the group, and she bit her lips as she heard footsteps approaching them.

"Artemis," she whispered, and the cat's ears twitched. "How far away is she?" The footsteps stopped, and Sailor V cast a furtive glance behind her. The street was empty, save for the flickering light of one street lamp, but Sailor V couldn't shake the feeling on the back of her neck that somebody was watching.

"Close," came a soft whisper as the cat increased his pace. "About two minutes away."

Sailor V clenched and unclenched her fists as she followed the white cat, her sense of unnerving only growing stronger. She swallowed as she heard the footsteps begin again.

"Artemis," she murmured in a voice only the cat would be able to hear. "We're being followed."

The cat let out a soft growl. "Keep walking down this road. I'll find out who it is," he whispered, slowing his pace and slinking into the shadows of the buildings.

Sailor V took a steadying breath as a sense of foreboding set in, and she strained her ears to listen for the sounds of the footsteps that were—she was certain of it, now—following her.

She had walked a total of two blocks before Artemis returned, his eyes narrowed as he seemed to slide out of the shadows beside her.

"Three men," he said. "Shady. Probably after money."

Sailor V ground her teeth together as the hairs on the back of her neck began to tingle. "I don't know," she murmured as the cat once again took the lead. "I don't think three thugs would make me this uneasy, Artemis," she said. The cat looked back at her.

"Maybe," was all he said. "But regardless, we can't lead thugs to her house." He stopped walking and sat down, his tail curled around him, flicking nervously.

Sailor V sighed, slowing her pace. She was still reluctant about this idea. _But Artemis is right,_ she thought as she turned around and crossed her arms. _This is the only lead we have. And if there's even the smallest chance of it succeeding, we have to take precautions._

The footsteps grew louder until a pair of three men turned the corner. They all had unshaven, disheveled appearances, and rumpled clothes. They didn't seem surprised that their prey had noticed them; in fact, one of the men revealed his yellowed teeth in a sneer.

"Hey there, kid," said the yellow-teeth man. He was a few inches taller than the other men, and his eyes were narrowed, one hand hidden beneath the folds of his jacket. "What's a guy like you doing out here?"

Sailor V didn't budge, though her sense of unease had not abated in the slightest. "That's none of your concern," she said, choosing her next words carefully. "I have private business to attend to, and I think it would be best if the three of you left now."

The man on the left snorted, and the young girl's eyes flicked to him. His hands were in his pockets, and Sailor V noted that there was a slight bulge in his right pocket. What that bulge was, she could guess, from the unique shape of the object.

"We're not here to leave. Not without some _incentive,"_ the man hissed, his dark eyebrows lowered into a scowl.

The third man stepped forward so quickly that Sailor V only caught a glimpse of his appearance—dark jeans and a jacket with a similar bulge in his pocket as that of his friend's—before he had grabbed her arm and trapped it behind her back.

The young girl grunted in pain and began squirming as the man twisted her arm, and she lifted her eyes to glare at the men. The man on the left reached into his pocket and pulled out his gun, cocking it with a nonchalant movement, and raised it to point at the girl's forehead. She froze, eyes staring into the barrel.

"That's better," said the yellow-teeth man. He took a step forward and lowered his head until Sailor V's eyes and his were directly level, and she glared into them.

"So, you're here on "private business," eh?" he asked, and the young girl's nostrils flared as his rank breath reached her nose. "That means you have money on you."

Minako opened her mouth to deny that she had any money—for, indeed, the skirt of a Senshi didn't come equipped with such commodities as pockets—when the man holding her released his grip to plunge a hand into one of her pockets. She cried in outrage and, taking advantage of his lapse in caution, she reversed their positions; now _she_ was the one who had a hold on his arm behind his back.

"You idiot!" hissed the yellow-teeth man as his eyes roved between her and her captive to the man holding the gun.

The man in her hold struggled, but she twisted his arm—much as he had done to her—and he stilled. "Look," she said. "I don't have any money. I'm here to find someone, not pay them for anything." A hint of desperation must have escaped from her, because the man holding the gun decided to speak.

"You're scared," he stated, his deep, toneless voice sending a shiver of fear up her spine. Right now, the only thing separating her from the gun in his hand was the man she had held as a shield.

And yes, Sailor V realized as her grip on the man's arm and shoulder tightened in response to his words, she _was_ sort of scared. And the irony of such a situation didn't escape her, either. Here she was, Sailor V—the superhero girl who fought Youma and didn't bat an eye—cowering at the sight of a gun. If she wanted to, she could knock out each of these men easily, with such speed that the man holding the gun wouldn't even have time to consider shooting it. But blue eyes in her mind stared at her, a crescent moon winking above them, and she knew that she couldn't blow her cover—not tonight. Artemis was depending on her.

"I don't have any money," she repeated, her voice low in the disguised tenor. "I'm just here to talk to someone."

The man with the yellow sneer glared at her, an annoyed sound escaping him. "Boy, listen. We don't like playing games." He reached into his jacket and Sailor V stiffened as he, too, pulled out a gun. "So just give us your cash, credit card—whatever—and you can still go have your _talk with a friend."_

Sailor V's mind whirled as her eyes darted around, taking in her surroundings, hoping to find something—or someone—anything that might help, that she could use to her advantage. But the abandoned street offered nothing—no one—save the sputtering of a streetlight and a cold, empty sidewalk. "All right, all right," she said, stalling for time. "I'll give you my credit card, okay? Just put the guns down and take out the bullets, and it's all yours." Her voice squeaked slightly at the end, and Sailor V cursed her disguise for actually including a young male's _voice_.

"You're not in a position to bargain, boy," said the yellow-toothed man.

"And you are?" she countered, nodding towards the man she had trapped, a barrier between any flying bullets and her.

The taller man with the deep voice grunted. "I'll put the gun away. Let him go."

Sailor V shook her head, adjusting her grip on her captive's arms as he squirmed. "Unload the guns and put them down. Then I'll give you my credit card and I'll let him go."

"I'll put the gun on the ground."

"Unload it," she repeated.

"If you let him go," stated the tall man.

"Only if—"

The man with yellow stains on his teeth growled. "Let him go now, or I'll shoot straight through him to you!"

Sailor V's eyes widened. Usually, a statement like that wouldn't faze her—after all, most people wouldn't shoot their friends. However, the man had a frenzied look in his eyes, and his breath reeked of alcohol. He might not actually hit his target, since he was intoxicated, but if the bullet missed her, it might fly into one of the nearby windows, possibly hurting someone inside. She couldn't risk that.

That was it, then, Sailor V realized, desperation gnawing at her. _I can't get out of this without failing Artemis—_

And then, as though he had heard his name in her thoughts, the cat appeared, his white fur a blur as he streamed through the air, claws raking across faces, a yowl of pure anger sending shivers up her spine.

Sailor V knew what this meant—Artemis had been waiting in the shadows, hoping that the conflict would somehow resolve itself; however, having come to the same conclusion that she had—that it was impossible to escape this situation without engaging in some form of violence—he had taken it upon himself to attack her assailants. His message was clear: forget about the mission for now. Fight.

She released her grip on the man she held captive, and before he even had time to realize that he was no longer restrained, she had aimed a well-placed chop onto his temple, knocking him unconscious instantly.

She then turned her attention to the yellow toothed man, who was currently struggling to pull Artemis off of his face. The man grabbed a fistful of the cat's white fur and threw Artemis to the ground, where the cat grunted from the force of impact. The man snarled and raised his gun, cocking it, and aimed at the crumpled ball of fur on the pavement.

"NO!" She couldn't help the scream that tore from her lips as she jumped into action, kicking the man's hand. He dropped the gun and cried out in pain, but before he had time to recover, she had pulled her other hand back and aimed a punch directly to his face. He was knocked backwards, and he landed in a heap a few feet away, knocked out, the gun lying far from him.

The disguised girl pirouetted, and glared at the tall man who was left. His mouth hung open in shock, the gun in his hand all but forgotten. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Artemis stand shakily, a bit of red staining his fur. The anger in her faded slightly at the sight of her trembling friend.

"Take them home," she spat to the man, before turning and gently lifting Artemis into her arms. "And don't ever try to do this to anyone again." Then, to get rid of the last vestiges of anger still swirling inside her, she looked behind her once more, making sure his frightened eyes met hers.

"Or I'll actually fight next time," she said darkly, letting her disguise shimmer away and her actual Senshi outfit replace it. She was rewarded with a look of utter terror on his face as she leapt to the rooftop.

"Minako," sighed Artemis, once they were a considerable distance from there. "You should have just left without revealing yourself."

Sailor V pressed her lips together. "I'm still angry," she admitted. "He was going to _kill_ you, Artemis."

He sighed again. "I know. Thank you." A brief silence passed between them save for the sound of her heels clacking against the roofs as she ran across them. "But if the Dark Kingdom becomes aware of us, then we need to avoid this area for a while."

Sailor V sighed and shook her head. "No. It would be suspicious if we were sighted here, and we didn't start patrolling here on a regular basis. They'd know something was here—something we were looking for. If she really _is_ there, it'd be better for us to just add this to our usual patrol-area..."

Artemis made a grunting noise. "They'll think it's odd anyway. This area has never been hit by a Youma attack. There's no reason for us to be patrolling this area. Either way, we'll look suspicious."

Minako pondered this for a few minutes, heels clacking on ceilings, and concluded that Artemis was right. She decided to change the subject; they could talk strategy later.

"I think Mom and Dad have noticed how tired I've been," she said. Artemis lifted his eyes to meet her own, and his ears twitched to indicate that he was listening. "Two days ago, Mom made a comment about how I need to get more sleep."

"You're a high school student, Minako," Artemis said. "All parents of high-schoolers say that to their kids."

"Yes," Minako conceded. "But she seemed more serious than usual." She made a sharp turn to her right and began heading towards downtown along the usual route home. "And it's not like they don't know about my tardies."

"Minako, I don't see what you're getting at," Artemis admitted wearily. For a few brief moments there was silence.

"...I think they're getting suspicious," she said, and Artemis' tail twitched in response.

"I'll see what I can find out," the small feline said. "It's probably nothing."

Sailor V couldn't help but think that the last few words had sounded a little too hopeful.

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Usagi awoke to the shrill shriek of the phone, gasping in panic as the vestiges of her nightmare gripped her. But the second ring seemed to jolt her out of the nightmarish state, and she blinked away the bloody images that stained her vision.

The young girl groaned as she glanced at the clock on her nightstand—two in the morning. She briefly wondered at who would have the audacity to call at this time, and then her thoughts turned to the worst—probably an after affect of the nightmare that was still causing her to shiver. No one in their right mind would have cause to be calling at this time—unless there was an emergency of some sort. The horrifying images of gore that had permeated her nightmares flashed briefly in her mind's eye, and Usagi reached to grasp the telephone, only for the ringing to be cut short.

Through the walls, Usagi heard her mother's voice murmuring, and knew that she had answered. Usagi would have plopped back down into her pillow had not her mother's voice suddenly become sharp and clear through the walls.

"Naru-Chan?"

Usagi's phone was at her ear in a second, her eyes wide as she tried to process the sounds that were now reaching her ear.

"Ms. Tsukino, I don't know what to do, I called the police already but I don't know and—" Naru's voice cut off as a crashing sound began behind her, and then a loud clattering sound filled their ears and someone began to scream.

"Stand behind me! I already told you, the police can't help!" yelled a distant man's voice. His voice was drowned by more sounds of shattering glass. "Damnit, get away from the phone!"

"Naru?!" Usagi cried out, her breath short as she listened to the chaos on the other line.

"Naru-Chan?" her mother's voice asked.

But the only answer the two Tsukino women received was the garbled sound of chaos, of objects crashing and someone screaming in pain, a sound so deafening and horrifying that both women gasped and felt shudders run through them.

"I'm coming, Naru!" Usagi cried, then threw down her phone as she quickly searched for her shoes. She found them, hidden beneath a small pile of the day's discarded school clothes, and she stepped into them, then bolted for her bedroom door.

She opened it, ran outside, and ran straight into the form of her mother.

"You are _not_ going over there, Usagi!" her mother said, grabbing the blonde girl by her shoulders. "Your father is calling the police, but you are not allowed to go to Naru-Chan's house right now." Usagi became aware of her father's voice speaking loudly in the other room, speaking rapidly into the phone, but this did not reassure her.

"Mom," she said, blinking back tears, struggling to free herself from her mother's grip. "I _have_ to go. Naru-Chan's in danger, and—"

Ikuko's fierce gaze never left Usagi's desperate eyes. "Exactly! It's _dangerous_, Usagi!" Ikuko intoned, a hint of desperation touching her voice. "I will not let you run straight into danger! I know you're worried about Naru-Chan—I am, too! But your life is just as important as hers, and I will not let you risk your life!"

Usagi's teeth grit together as an anger stronger than any she had ever felt flooded through her veins, blurring her vision with hints of scarlet. Her recurring nightmare loomed like an omen in the back of her mind, a foreshadowing that she didn't want to consider. No, she would not let her nightmare become a reality—why couldn't her mother understand?

Ikuko's grip on her daughter was tight, and Usagi knew that she could not escape from her mother's hand. Instead, the girl spun around and dashed into her room, slamming the door behind her and locking it.

Her mother was momentarily stunned, and Usagi intended to take full advantage of her mother's momentary lapse of action. She rushed to the window, yanking it open with much more force than was needed.

Her mother suddenly seemed to realize what her daughter was doing.

"Usagi!" Ikuko's scream sounded through the door. Her fists pounded on the wood, panic evident in her movements. "Usagi! Open this door right now! Open it right now!"

But Usagi was already climbing out of the window, hardly aware of her mother's screams, hardly aware of her own actions as she gripped the windowsill and gauged the distance between her house and the tree beside her window. She leapt and landed, stumbled slightly, righted herself, and then gripped the branch she had lighted upon and swung herself off the tree.

She landed on her feet, surprisingly—afterwards, Usagi would marvel at how she had managed to land on her feet—and then took off in the direction of her friend's house.

Ikuko burst through the front door of the house just moments later, and the blue-haired woman ran as fast as she could around to the side of the house where Usagi had left through the window. She saw the open window, curtains fluttering in the moonlight, and she yelled at her husband that she was going after Usagi. Then she, like her daughter, took off in the direction of Naru's house. Ikuko, however, unlike her daughter, was not young, and time had weathered and whittled her bones and muscles down over the years, and so by the time Ikuko had begun running, her daughter had already covered over half the distance to her friend's house.

It had been five minutes since Naru's frenzied and panicked phone call.

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Sailor V halted abruptly, the cat in her arms suddenly yowling at her.

"An attack!" he cried, his eyes scrunched in pain as the small crescent on his forehead pulsed, giving off a soft light. His ears twitched as Sailor V stopped on the roof of a building, waiting for his next words. "It's... North of here," Artemis gasped, and Sailor V shifted so his wounds would be less painful. "Osa-P Jewelry store."

Sailor V nodded and hopped gingerly from rooftop to rooftop, careful not to injure Artemis. She knew the store he had mentioned—just yesterday, she had learned that Usagi's friend, Naru-Chan, owned the shop. She increased her pace, hoping that her movements weren't jostling the cat in her arms. She had to hurry. If Naru-Chan was in danger, Sailor V was determined to save her; if Usagi's best friend in this life were to be injured, Sailor V wouldn't forgive herself.

In three minutes, the teenage superhero found herself a block away from the jewelry shop. This was the right place. She could hear the screams from here. Her teeth clenched, and Sailor V paused on a rooftop, placing Artemis softly onto the ground.

"Stay here," she told him at his questioning glance. "You're still hurt, and I don't want you to get caught up in the battle." She took his wearied nod as a sign of agreement, and then she turned and hurried to close the distance between herself and the store.

She hopped onto the street, and she couldn't help but gasp at the damage the store had sustained. The glass windows had been shattered, and glass littered the street, crunching under her heels. Every display case had been broken, and some had been overturned. Jewelry was scattered across the floor, and a large hole in the wall indicated that there had been some sort of struggle against the Youma. Then Sailor V heard a scream she recognized, as well as the low growl of a Youma, and she dashed inside.

A masked figure was cradling his arm, slumped against the far wall of the store. A girl with a shock of red hair was next to him, and his position indicated that he was trying to protect her, injured though he was. Three Youma advanced against him, and he lifted his injured arm. A cane was gripped tightly in his outstretched hand, and he pointed it at one of the creatures.

A blast of dark blue energy shot forth from the end of his cane, but the creature had ample time to dodge the attack due to the man's labored movements, and the blast of energy dissipated in the air. The Youma snarled at him, and the girl beside him screamed as it raised its arm.

"Rolling Heart Vibration!" Sailor V cried, and a surge of energy pulsed from her outstretched hands, catching the monster by surprise. It yelped in pain before it burst into dust.

"About time," muttered the masked man as the creature's ashes fell to the ground in scattered piles.

The remaining two Youma screeched in disapproval and broke formation, retreating from Sailor V. The teenaged hero rushed forward and helped the masked man to his feet, then beckoned to Naru, who was staring at Sailor V in awe.

"You need to go!" She told the girl in a commanding voice. "And _you,"_ she said, glaring at the masked man. "_You_ need to return the jewels you stole and then take her someplace safe!" From her past experiences with the masked man, she knew that the only reason he would have been in a jewelry store was to rob the place, and the fact that he was protecting Naru only meant that she had been caught in the Youma attack while he was in the process of robbing her family's shop.

It irked Sailor V that Tuxedo Kamen only used his powers to rob stores—a man with his skills could be extremely useful in aiding with her fight against the Dark Kingdom. But, when she had asked him to help her at the Princess D Ball, he had point-blank refused her offer. _"You and I do not share a common goal,_" he had stated after they had defeated the Dark Kingdom minions. "_I have other things to be doing with my time than fighting monsters. That's not my job."_ She had had a hard time containing her anger after that comment. She had explained to him that he had been given a unique power, and that it was his duty to use that power for the greater good, to help those in need.

_"That's not a choice I've made—that's the choice you've made for yourself," he said. "I don't need to take society's opinion into the matter—I owe these people nothing. If there's someone in need of help, and I happen to be passing by, I'll help them. But I won't go out of my way to help people who may or may not deserve it. My values are my own—you can't influence my actions or my decisions by superimposing your values over mine._" He had departed, leaving her quite angry at him. But, since that day, he had made good on his promise of helping when he was nearby, so even though she disliked the man, she couldn't deny that he was useful. But that didn't mean he had turned into a good person.

The masked man shrugged. "She won't let me take her outside or anyplace. I already tried." He gripped his injured arm tightly. "And I'm keeping the jewels."

Sailor V hissed in frustration—she knew that arguing with this man would be of no use. He was too stubborn. She turned to Naru, instead of arguing with him.

"Naru, you need to get someplace safe," she said, her eyes flicking to the Youma, who seemed unsure of their next move. "Tuxedo Kamen will—"

"No!" Naru said. The girl was shivering from fear, and she bore cuts from the broken glass as well as a large gash across her arm, but her voice was determined. "They have my Mom!"

Sailor V's eyes widened behind her mask. "What do you mean?" She asked hurriedly, suddenly aware of the fact that the Youma had begun to move again. Tuxedo Kamen was standing protectively in front of the two girls, but Sailor V knew that, with his injuries, he wouldn't be able to hold up for much longer.

"One of the Youma was pretending to be my Mom, and I don't know where she is!" Naru said, though her voice quavered on the last few words. "Please, Sailor V-San—I have to find her!"

Sailor V forced herself from groaning in frustration. "Listen," she said quickly. "I can help you find your Mom later. The Youma over there don't have your Mom, but I promise, once I beat them, I'll help you search for her, okay? But right now you need to—"

"Sailor V!" interjected Tuxedo Kamen's low voice. The urgency in his tone caused Sailor V to respond immediately, her battle skills from two lifetimes causing her to turn and assess the situation immediately. What she saw caused her heart to pound in fear.

Two more Youma had appeared, though from where she didn't know. Normally, Sailor V wouldn't care; two Youma weren't something to worry about in such an enclosed space when she could easily use a wide-range attack and, trapped as they were, dispatch them all in one swipe. However, judging by the distinctly humanoid shapes of these two Youma, Sailor V guessed that they were higher-level Youma. And that was not good.

"Get down and stay down!" Sailor V ordered, pushing the girl down behind an upturned display, her tone allowing no objection from Naru. Sailor V could only hope that the pitiful shelter would be able to withstand any stray attacks. Hopefully, she would be able to maneuver the battle outside, away from the girl.

Sailor V gathered glowing energy to her fingertip. "Crescent Beam!"

The lower-level Youma she had aimed at leapt out of the way, as she had anticipated. Before the creature had time to land on its feet, she shot a subsequent Crescent Beam at it, catching it between its eyes and causing it to explode into a cloud of ashes.

Beside her, Tuxedo Kamen was shooting blasts from his cane at the other lower-level Youma, though Sailor V noted with despair that his blasts were growing considerably weaker as time progressed. She needed to end this quickly.

"Crescent B—" she cut off and leapt sideways an instant before a large energy blast incinerated the spot she had vacated. Sailor V turned her attention to the two higher level Youma in apprehension.

"Let's have some fun," said the smaller of the two, her red eyes glinting dangerously as her claws grew in length. She flexed her fingers, then raised an arm. Sailor V anticipated her attack and moved out of the way just as the claws shot forth from the creature's hands.

Sailor V vaulted over the fallen displays, careful to avoid any glass. She pushed energy into her palms, and threw it at her enemies, only for them both to dodge. In her peripheral vision, she noted that Tuxedo Kamen had finally dispatched the Youma he had been facing, but then she became too occupied with the task of avoiding attacks to care.

"C'mon, little Senshi," taunted the larger Youma, a purple creature with horns. Green energy bubbled in her palms like boiling lava, and the blasts she sent at Sailor V left charred debris in their wake.

"Crescent Beam!" Sailor V cried, and though the creatures dodged, to her dismay, she managed to injure the leg of the larger Youma, hindering her movement significantly.

And then the unthinkable happened. A young girl burst into the room, her eyes wide and scared. "NARU!"

Everything seemed to move in slow-motion for a moment. Sailor V became fully aware of everything around her. Naru-Chan was still taking cover behind the fallen display, though she had poked her head over the top upon hearing her name. Tuxedo Kamen was trying to move, but was torn between saving the girl who had just appeared and attacking the distracted Youma. Sailor V herself was closer to Naru than to the girl. And the two Youma were both standing near the young girl who had just appeared.

_No! _Sailor V thought desperately. _She's—_

And then the smaller of the two Youma grinned maliciously and grabbed the girl by her hair, pulling the girl close, and positioning her long, sharp claws directly against the girl's pale, very exposed neck.

Sailor V froze.

"Now," said the Youma. "Do as I say, or the little human dies."

There was no hesitation in Sailor V's movements as she lowered her hands to her sides, defeated. "I'll do whatever you want. Just let her go, don't hurt her."

The Youma's grin grew into a sneer. "Good. You're going to stand right there, and I'm going to kill you." She let out a maniacal laugh.

Sailor V tensed, and, unbidden, her eyes rose for just an instant and met the terrified eyes of the Youma's captive.

Sailor V swallowed, then nodded. Her face set in determination and she pressed her lips together."It's a death contract," she said, and something about the air in the room shifted, shimmered.

The creature chortled. "Forcing me to agree to a death contract. My, how devious. And here I was thinking only dark creatures knew how to invoke the Dark High Magicks of Olde. Very well. I accept." Her eyes glowed for a moment, and all in the room shivered as a chill swept the room. The Youma cackled. "The life of a Senshi for the safety of a human. I think this deal is tilted in my favor, don't you? Without you around, I'll be able to kill whoever I want."

Sailor V's eyes narrowed. "If anything happens to her, you'll forfeit your life, Youma," she spat.

The Youma only smiled I'm response. "I'm well aware of that, _Senshi_. But I think it's time we end this. I'm growing bored." With that, the creature raised its arm once more, the claws sharpening to fine points—deadly.

As Sailor V prepared herself for death, her eyes wandered and met for just an instant with the horrified eyes of Tsukino Usagi.

"No!" Usagi screamed, struggling with all her might to break free from the Youma's ungiving grip, and the Youma chuckled gleefully. It tightened its hold on Usagi.

"Say goodbye," laughed the creature. And then, before Sailor V had time to register anything else, a sharp, red blur shot through the air, and there was suddenly blood.

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A/N: And the Not-So-Very-Developed-Plot thickens! But only slightly! Lol. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I had a very difficult time writing it, for some reason. Initially, Rei wasn't even in the chapter, but I promised myself I would have at least 10k words per chapter, and Rei sort of schmoozied her way in while I was editing, and she's now going to be an important person in the coming chapters. Same thing with Tuxedo Kamen's scene, though I felt that that was somewhat more relevant to the story, in order to explain a bit of what was happening. But, evil author that I am, all cliffhangers were intentional. GAHAHA.

Also, you'll notice that everything is happening in chronological order, though I don't specify the time skips. That's intentional. It may not happen in the future, though—I'm still not sure how I want the story to move, and the development may be accented if I change scenes around in the upcoming chappies. Don't know if that'll end up happening or not, though.

Also, I'm a bit stuck on chapter 4. It's basically done, but I'm a bit unsure of where to go next. Again, these updates WILL be sporadic. And I encourage all of you who want to continue this story to re-read all the chapters once I update. Or bug me about writing summaries. But not much has happened so far, so you should be fine for a while yet.


	4. Chapter 4: Second Meetings

Disclaimer: If I owned Sailor Moon, I'd smack the translators of the newly released manga translations-their grammar is so horrible in so many places... And I'd smack the editors, too, for not fixing the stunted speech and the awkward phrasings, and overall lack of concern regarding characters' speech patterns and... Well, the list goes on and on. But I don't own it, so I can't fix it. Crycrycry.

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**Sailor Moon: Haato Wa Mangekyou**

Chapter 4: Second Meetings

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_As Sailor V prepared herself for death, her eyes wandered and met for just an instant with the horrified eyes of Tsukino Usagi._

_"No!" Usagi screamed, struggling with all her might to break free from the Youma's ungiving grip, and the Youma chuckled gleefully. It tightened its hold on Usagi._

_"Say goodbye," laughed the creature. And then, before Sailor V had time to register anything else, a sharp, red blur shot through the air, and there was suddenly blood._

Sailor V gasped in surprise, and the Youma staggered away from Usagi, screaming. Usagi stumbled forward, her eyes wide, and her hand drifted to her cheek to feel the slight scratch that was slowly beginning to bleed. The Youma behind her bellowed in pain, clutching its head, and then it tripped over a fallen display case and crashed to the ground, writhing and shrieking on its back.

Sailor V snapped herself out of her state of shock, and then she moved, the training she had honed throughout two lifetimes kicking in. She immediately charged a Crescent Beam and sent it flying to the Youma Tuxedo Kamen was fighting. It had been distracted by the sight of its companion's obvious pain, and so it didn't notice her attack until it was too late. The creature disintegrated into a thousand particles of shimmering dust, but Sailor V didn't pause to witness its demise. She charged another blast and sent it to the fallen Youma, who was still writhing on the floor, its keening voice piercing the still night with a dreadful clarity. It burst into dust, and Sailor V let out a tight breath she didn't know she had been holding. Silence descended upon the room, and Sailor V paused for just a moment to revel in it before returning to the situation at hand.

Sailor V crossed the room in a single bound, landing softly beside the still-stunned Usagi. "Hey," she said gently, and Usagi flinched before turning her wide eyes to meet the masked superhero's kind ones. "Are you okay?" she asked the schoolgirl.

Usagi nodded, blinking. Abruptly, she moved forward, her arms wrapping around Sailor V's midsection. "Thank you," whispered Usagi into Sailor V's ear, and Sailor V visibly relaxed at the sound of the girl's voice.

"It was nothing," Sailor V said, patting Usagi on the back. Usagi moved away, and then she broke from the superhero's arms and ran to the opposite side of the room.

"Naru-chan!" She cried, for the auburn-haired girl had risen and was crossing the floor towards Sailor V.

"Usagi-Chan!" Naru blinked in relief, and the two girls embraced tightly. Sailor V observed the exchange with a smile, then turned her attention to the masked man who had begun to quietly slink towards the broken windows in an attempt to escape without notice.

"Tuxedo Kamen," Sailor V said curtly, striding toward the man. He stiffened, then sighed, and turned to face her.

"What?" He asked wearily. Sailor V hesitated, then reached out her hand.

"Thank you," she said. "I owe you."

Tuxedo Kamen shrugged. "I'll keep that in mind," he said indifferently, and then, blatantly ignoring the hand she had offered, he turned to continue his silent departure.

"Wait! Tuxedo Kamen!"

Sailor V and Tuxedo Kamen both spun around in time for Usagi to glomp the masked man in an embrace that left him gasping for air. "Thank you so, so, so much!" She cried, and Sailor V noticed with a start that Usagi was sobbing. "You threw the rose, right?" Usagi asked between tears.

The masked man nodded, stunned and speechless at the girl's unexpected affection. Sailor V glanced at the rose impaled in the ground only three and a half feet from where the Youma had held Usagi captive; Tuxedo Kamen's rose had soared through the air like a missile, scratching Usagi on the cheek, and thereby causing injury to the girl; because the Youma had just entered into a Death Contract with Sailor V, and had promised to let no harm come to the girl, the ancient Magicks that bound the oath had been invoked, causing the Youma to experience an immense and terrible pain that only death could extinguish.

Desperation had seized hold of the Senshi upon seeing her Princess held captive by the Youma; with a shiver that ran down her spine like a river of ice, Sailor V suddenly realized the gravity of the fact that she and Usagi had only narrowly escaped death.

Usagi hugged the masked man closer, pressing her face against the fabric of his clothing. The tears of gratitude pouring down her face dampened his outfit. "Thank you for saving Naru-chan and V-Chan!"

Tuxedo Kamen patted her awkwardly on the head, and Sailor V noted with alarm the red tinge that spread across his high cheekbones. A protective sort of feeling rose within her. _He isn't good enough for her_, she thought, and was immediately reminded of a time long ago, when she had thought those very same words about a different man. Deciding not to dwell on it, she turned to Naru, who seemed to still be in a state of shock. The poor girl was surveying the toppled display cases, coated in the dusty gray particles that were the remains of the Youma, with horror.

"Naru-chan," she said, and the girl looked up, reacting to her name. "I'm going to look for your mother." Those words snapped Naru back to reality, her eyes widening in understanding, and then narrowing in resolution with a fiery intensity.

"Let's go," Naru said, and Sailor V nodded. The young superhero led the way farther into the store, and then she turned to her companion.

"Is there any secluded room, a room you rarely use? And isolated enough so you wouldn't be able to hear much noise from it?" Sailor V had discovered over the years that Youma who disguised themselves tended to keep the victim whose identity they had stolen alive, in case the human was needed for questioning. That didn't mean that the human was kept in comfort or in the lap of luxury-far from it. The human was kept in a state of near-death while his or her life energy was siphoned off at a depreciated rate, a rate which allowed for the human to live, but only just. It was a despicable form of torture; the process of siphoning energy from humans was extremely painful, she knew from experience. Usually, the life-energy was drained at such a rapid pace that the human body was unable to register the pain all at once, and instead knocked the body unconscious as a defense against the unusual rate of energy-loss; Artemis theorized that the human brain would react this way in an attempt to conserve as much energy as possible by switching off all but the body's vital functions to survival. The benefit to this action was that the human body only experienced pain for a short moment before passing out.

However, when the slower rate of drainage was induced, the pain level, though high, was not overwhelming to the mind, as it lacked the initial energy-level drop that the body took as its cue to shut down, and so the human was forced to suffer through the Youma's torturous form of energy drainage. Naru-Chan's mother would be in bad shape, but since the Youma had been defeated, she would be alive, at least. Her energy wouldn't have been able to drain completely at such a slow rate. At least there was that, small benefit though it was.

Naru nodded and, without a word, led Sailor V deeper into the building, turning down a hall, and stopped at a door that was identical to all the others that lined the hallway. The girl fished around in her pockets for a few moments and pulled out a set of keys. She fingered them until she found the correct one, and then inserted it into the lock, turned it, and opened the door. Sailor V noticed that Naru's hands were trembling as the girl returned the keys to her pockets. Naru stepped inside and flipped a switch on the wall, revealing a set of stairs leading down, harsh ceiling lights glowing and lighting the way with pale, artificial light.

"This leads to the basement," Naru explained as she and Sailor V began their descent. "We don't really use it for much-it's really hard to walk up and down the stairs without tripping when you're carrying a box full of jewelry. But there's some stuff down here-a lot of themed jewelry and seasonal items, things that haven't sold. Mom always puts stuff down here, hoping we'll be able to sell it next year." Sailor V smiled sadly at the girl's words, which would seem like rambling chatter to others. Sailor V recognized the words as a cover, a way to mask the fear the girl was feeling. It was a behavior that many victims exhibited, and Sailor V had dealt with many people in situations like this over the years. It would be hard for the girl, she knew, once her mother was hospitalized for her energy-depletion. She made a mental note to help Naru-chan as much as possible.

After several moments of silence save for the harsh sound of their footsteps, they reached the bottom and Sailor V pushed open the door. A low moan echoed through the darkness, and Naru-chan rushed past the Senshi.

"Mom?" she squeaked, and another moan replied from the corner. Sailor V hurriedly stepped inside as Naru-chan stumbled through the dark, tripping over hidden boxes. Sailor V groped along the wall until her fingers brushed a switch, and she flicked it, turning a single light bulb on. The cold light illuminated the dark room, throwing shadows along the edges, and revealing the haggard and emaciated form of Naru's mother.

The poor woman's arms were tied behind her back, and her feet were bound together. Her long, red hair was in knots about her head. Paper-thin skin clung to weakened bones, and sunken eyes blinked dazedly, unfocused. Sailor V didn't flinch at the sight, though; she had seen much worse. Judging by her appearance, Naru's mother had likely been here only a day or two. She was drained, yes, but she wasn't as drained as Sailor V had originally thought; Naru's mother might only be hospitalized for a few days.

Sailor V, with Naru's help, lifted the older woman onto Sailor V's back. "Naru-chan," said the masked girl. "You go upstairs. If there's an ambulance outside, tell them I'm bringing your mother up. If there's only police, tell the police to call some paramedics." Naru nodded and dashed upstairs.

Sailor V sighed as she began to ascend. It wasn't so much the physical activity of walking upstairs with an emaciated, energy-drained person on her back that caused her to sigh; no, Naru's mother was quite light, in fact.

Sailor V was thinking about her Princess.

Usagi was far from the silver-haired Princess she had been in the Silver Millennium, but her personality was the same. Less reserved, actually. Minako had seen the reincarnated Princess thrive in her newer environment, shining where her old status of royalty had not allowed her to shine. But with her newfound freedom came also a carelessness, a recklessness that had brought Usagi to the store while it was under attack by a Youma. Something had to be done.

Sailor V stepped into the store and headed to the front, where she was relieved to find paramedics ready and waiting. They rushed forward upon seeing her; she handed Naru's mother to them, and they hurried the woman to the ambulance.

There was a lot of noise-but Sailor V was used to the hustle and bustle that usually followed a Youma attack. She ignored the police who hailed her, ignored the flashing of their lights, and instead looked for Usagi. When she spotted her, she blinked.

A woman with long, dark blue hair was hugging Usagi tightly, sobbing. One hand ran through the girl's hair, smoothing it, while the other hand clutched the girl close. Usagi, in turn, was also crying, judging by the gentle shakes of her shoulders, and her face was burrowed into the woman's chest. Usagi was embracing the woman just as tightly as she was being embraced. Sailor V knew upon seeing the two that this blue-haired woman was Usagi's mother, in this life, at least.

Sailor V hesitated, stopping several feet away from the pair. Her hand hesitated around her subspace pocket for a moment before she plunged it in and retrieved her pen.

"Boss," she murmured, and then held the pen up. The red light winked softly in reply, as though it had just woken up from a long nap. "I just thought you might want to see... Usagi."

The red light blinked rapidly, and then glowed softly. "Thank you, Sailor V," whispered the metallic voice of Boss, and the girl detected a hint of sadness in the sound.

"We can't let any harm come to her, Boss," she said after a few more moments of silence. "She needs some form of protection. I think she needs-"

"That's fine," Boss said softly. "Without Luna, it's the best we can do for now. It should work. And Artemis has your pen."

Sailor V held Boss in the air for a few more moments, then deposited the pen back into her subspace pocket. She watched as Usagi's mother whispered something in her daughter's ear, and the schoolgirl nodded. The relationship the two had seemed like a perfect mother-daughter relationship; Usagi's mother obviously loved her very much, and Usagi, in turn, loved her mother dearly. And seeing the two sharing such an intimate and intensely emotional embrace caused Sailor V to hesitate-she didn't want to disturb such a precious moment, so strong in its heartfeltedness that it was almost sacred. But she had business to attend to.

Sailor V walked forward, and caught the blue-haired woman's eye. Usagi's mother straightened, and her eyes swam with a motherly intensity that Sailor V couldn't quite comprehend. Before the blond Senshi was able to discuss what she had intended to discuss, Usagi's mother spoke, softly but strongly.

"Thank you for saving my daughter," she said. Sailor V nodded.

"I wouldn't let her die," she said honestly. "If you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with your daughter. In private." The middle-aged woman hesitated visibly, obviously not wanting to relinquish her hold on the daughter she had almost lost.

"Don't worry. It won't take long," she said in a reassuring tone, hoping the woman would allow her protectiveness to wane for a few minutes. Usagi's mother sighed softly, and relented.

"Of course," she said. She let go of Usagi, who had been watching the conversation unfold with a piqued interest. Usagi hesitated, then approached the Senshi.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?" she asked, and Sailor V's eyes were drawn to the scratch along the girl's cheek. The blood had dried, but the cut was long, and stark against her pale skin.

"I wanted to ask you, Tsukino Usagi," Sailor V began in a stern voice, ignoring Usagi's flinch of surprise upon realizing the Senshi knew her full name. "How you came to arrive in the middle of a Youma battle? What were you doing out of bed at this hour, and how is it that you managed to run straight into a store that was being ravaged by Youma?" Sailor V had made a conscious effort to keep her voice low, but her voice had grown more biting and callous with each passing word.

Usagi frowned, and had the grace to look ashamed. "Naru-chan called my house, and I knew she was in trouble. So I ran here as fast as I could-"

"You ran here _when you knew the place was under attack_?" Sailor V hissed, frustration at the Princess' carelessness morphing to anger within her.

Usagi smiled weakly. "Not one of my brightest moves, I guess," she admitted quietly.

Sailor V felt her anger ebb. The Princess had always acted on impulse when it came to the people she cared for, even back in the Silver Millennium. The Usagi of this time was no different, after all-her love for her best friend had driven her to help Naru.

But it had still been a stupid decision. Sailor V mentally sighed. She and Boss had just come to a hasty agreement, and while she knew it wasn't the wisest decision, she also knew that she had to keep Usagi out of this sort of danger in the future. If there _was_ a next time, Sailor V might not arrive in time to save Usagi, and Tuxedo Kamen might not be around to help out. And Usagi might run into more Youma-an encounter that could prove fatal. Sailor V couldn't allow Usagi to be defenseless against monsters.

Sailor V reached into her subspace pocket and pulled out her compact. She gazed at it for a few brief moments, memories of the times she had used it in battle flashing through her mind. And then she held it out for Usagi.

"Here," she said. "Take this compact."

Usagi blinked in surprise, and slowly took hold of the small, crescent-shaped object. "What...?" she asked, eyeing the object.

"It will help you if you ever run into trouble again. Leave it out at night so it can charge-moonlight charges it and gives it energy. If you ever come across any more Youma, take that compact in your hand, and imagine the moonlight shining from it." It would work for her, hopefully. The compact utilized moon energy, after all. As the Princess of the Moon, Usagi ought to be able to channel at least some of that energy, and use it to attack any Youma.

Usagi looked up, her blue eyes shining like the stars. "Thank you, V-Chan" she said solemnly, and Sailor V smiled in response. She watched Usagi return to her mother and heard the schoolgirl beginning to explain how she came to possess the compact.

Sailor V turned and moved to exit the store, walking briskly in the hope that she would thus be able to avoid any questions from the authorities. A policeman moved to intercept her, and she sighed, turning. As much as she would like to avoid it, she needed to at least explain the basic situation to the poor man.

"Excuse me, ma'am," began the police officer, his overlarge belly bouncing as he strode near her. "I need you to tell me everything you know about what happened here this evening."

Sailor V decided to skip all the usual formalities associated with this process; she had been through enough conversations like this to know that she couldn't tell him half of what he probably wanted to know, and she could only tell him the basest facts.

"Four Youma attacked this store," she said. "The owner of the store was locked downstairs and drained of life-energy, and a Youma took her place. Her daughter was here when the monsters attacked, and Tuxedo Kamen, who happened to be in the area, tried to come to her aid. I arrived shortly after that, and as Tuxedo Kamen and I fought the Youma, another girl showed up-the one inside with her mother right now. The Youma tried to use her as a hostage, but Tuxedo Kamen was able to incapacitate the Youma, and all the Youma were dispatched. The owner has been hospitalized, but her daughter will need to speak with you." _There,_ she thought. _I'm repaying some of my debt to Tuxedo Kamen by not telling the authorities that he was robbing the store. _

The officer opened his mouth to speak, but Sailor V knew she had given him all the information he needed to write a report; all the more specific details could be provided by Usagi and Naru. She didn't need to stay any longer-and, truth be told, she didn't want to. She was physically drained from the battle, and emotionally drained, as well.

And Artemis needed her attention right now. So, she leapt onto the roof across the street, ignoring the officer's call, and hopped away.

* * *

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(^~^)

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* * *

Mizuno Ami cleared her throat, and the receptionist glanced up, her pen stilling. The older woman's lips pursed, and she lifted her head, causing her ponytail to flop rather annoyingly across her shoulder. "Yes?" The woman asked curtly, and Ami couldn't help but notice the heavy makeup that adorned the woman's face.

"I'm here to see a patient named Hino Rei," Ami explained.

"Visiting hours are over." The woman returned to her work, all but ignoring the girl's presence. Ami refrained from rolling her eyes at the woman.

"There's still time. Visiting hours don't end for another half hour," she said.

The woman put her pen on the desk and sighed; Ami held herself in check, valiantly containing the urge to rudely comment on the woman's behavior. "Visiting hours are over for today. I suggest you come back earlier tomorrow."

Ami breathed deeply through her nose. She didn't like doing this; but it seemed that it was the only way for her to get through. "I believe you know of the Mizuno family, Ma'am. My name is Mizuno Ami-my mother is Mizuno Saeko."

The woman paled immediately. Her eyes darted to Ami's blue hair, and Ami saw a spark of recognition as the woman realized where she had seen that exact color before. "I-I'm so sorry," she said quickly. "I didn't know-who was it you wished to see, Miss Mizuno?"

"Hino Rei. She was checked in yesterday."

The woman typed the name furiously into her desktop computer, and her eyes darted across the screen. "She is in room 321. That's on the third floor, Miss Mizuno."

"Thank you," Ami said politely. She turned and headed to the elevators, her steps echoing in the quiet, white halls. The smell of sterilization filled her nostrils, and she breathed deeply and relaxed, inhaling the smell she found so comfortable.

Though Ami was not surprised with the woman's sudden change in attitude, the fact that she had used her mother's name to cause that change left a sour taste in the girl's mouth. Ami had never liked using her mother's name to instill fear or command respect-but, as her mother was not only the head physician but also one of the hospital's most generous donors, and had a heavy influence in the city, to boot, the name Mizuno inspired both of respect, fear, and more.

As Ami pushed the button to call the elevator, she cast a look back to the rude receptionist. The woman met her eyes, and Ami caught the flash of fear in them before the woman quickly turned around and faced the front. Ami sighed. No, she definitely did not enjoy using her last name to manipulate others. The logical part of her mind whispered that it was nothing to be ashamed of, really-the woman, in all honesty, ought to be reprimanded for not allowing guests in, and for her treatment of guests. But the other part of her mind, the kinder, softer side, argued that the woman might be experiencing some sort of extreme stress, and that even if she was indeed simply a rude person, nobody-not even someone who disregards her job so blatantly-deserved to be manipulated in such a way.

_But,_ Ami thought as the elevator dinged and opened, and she stepped inside. _I came to check on Rei-San_. Ami's concern for her friend overruled any moral principles she held; Ami's best friend was much more important, after all, than a simple moral concern, and so Ami had thrown her mother's name around in order to visit Rei.

Ami pressed the button for the third floor, and as the doors closed and she began her ascent, Ami's thoughts turned to her friend. Rei had been completely healthy yesterday, and then, out of the blue, had collapsed while performing her reading. The room had been warm, of course, because of the shrine's sacred fire, which had warmed the air to the point of stuffiness. Though Ami had been quite uncomfortable with the heat, as she preferred cool environments to hot ones, she had nonetheless accepted the heat as a necessary evil to endure while her friend searched for answers that logic simply couldn't explain. Rei had knelt before the fire, ceremonial beads in hand, and her face had held a look of such concentration that Ami had found herself believing for the first time that, perhaps, there _was_ a spiritual plane that science had not become aware of yet, a plane that her friend was accessing. And then Rei had let out a cry, her face had scrunched up in pain, and the girl had collapsed.

The elevator doors opened. Ami stepped out and continued to let her thoughts wander as she moved down the white, tiled hallway.

Her mother had checked on Rei-San earlier, and though her mother said that Rei had not yet awoken, it seemed that Rei was otherwise perfectly healthy. As unsettling as it was to Ami, who held a firm belief that science could answer every question regarding the human body, Ami had to admit that in this case, science didn't seem to hold the answer. For her entire life, Ami had believed that religious rituals involving spirits were silly, that psychic abilities to commune with a spiritual plane were absolute nonsense. Until yesterday, Ami had believed that Hino Rei, albeit a charming and lovely, kindhearted best friend, was a miko practicing traditions and rituals that held no meaning. Now, however Ami wasn't so sure.

She found room 321 and noticed Rei's name beside the door. She took a deep breath, then entered. The room was a typical one-three chairs along the far, white, wall, a bathroom near the entrance, a window, a TV mounted on the wall across from a large bed. Ami bit her lip as she saw the IV lines and monitors standing beside the bed where Rei was sleeping. Ami looked over the instruments immediately-a habit she had picked up in middle school by trailing after her mother as the doctor ran her rounds-and noted that Rei was in stable condition. She grabbed a chair from the wall and moved it closer to the bed, then sat in it.

"Sorry, Rei-San," she said softly. "I didn't mean for this to happen." Looking back on it, it had been a completely illogical move. Ami didn't believe in fire readings-but she had asked Rei to perform one, anyway. It had been desperation, a desperation that still baffled and concerned Ami. In fact, if this regard for Usagi's well-being grew any stronger, Ami wondered if she wouldn't have to call it an unhealthy obsession and get herself a therapist. Ami quickly dispelled the thought and returned her attention to her sleeping friend.

"The doctors aren't sure why you collapsed. They've run all the preliminary tests, and you seem to be completely healthy. They've spoken with your grandfather about running some more tests on you, Rei-San, but..." Ami hesitated. "Rei-San, if what you saw in the fire-reading caused this, then it's my fault you're in this condition." Ami inhaled quickly, trying to even her breathing. She blinked back tears that she had been holding back since her friend had collapsed. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

To Ami's surprise, Rei's mouth parted slightly, and the miko let out a small moan, her head shifting slightly on her pillow. Ami tensed, startled by the unconscious girl's movements, then relaxed as Rei's breathing evened out. "Rei-San," Ami said softly after a few more minutes of silence. "I... I'm going to keep looking into Aino Minako. I... She's hiding something. I don't know what," she said, her voice growing determined. "But I'm going to find out."

After several more minutes of quiet, Rei's breathing and the various sounds of the monitors the only noise, Ami rose, returned the chair to its original position against the wall, and left.

* * *

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* * *

Usagi sighed as she stared out the window, her curtains thrown wide to let in the moon's rays. She snuggled deeper under her covers, instinctively seeking more warmth. She let her gaze lower slightly, to her windowsill, where a small, silver compact lay open, the moon reflecting off its surface.

Usagi still could hardly believe what had transpired the night before. Naru-chan had been attacked by a Youma-a monster that had apparently assumed the appearance of Naru's mother in order to deceive customers into giving up their life-energy, the police had informed her and her mother after Sailor V's abrupt and unannounced departure from the store.

Youma were notorious for stealing the energy of humans. They had been around for a few years, Usagi knew. In her middle school days, they had been considered urban legends, along with the story of Sailor V, the masked girl who was the only one capable of combating them. They had remained that way, too, until the Princess-D ball. The televised event had been invaded by Youma, and Sailor V had been caught live on T.V. as she sent blasts of energy at the monsters. Since that day, Youma had been accepted by the public as a real and palpable threat, but attacks were infrequent, sporadic, and Usagi had never personally known anyone affected by them. Her father had known a few colleagues, and she had heard stories of fellow students, but it had all seemed so distant, so unreal. Until last night. Of course, as she had raced to Naru's house, the thought of Youma hadn't even passed through her mind. All she had been able to think of was that she needed to help her friend, she needed to protect Naru... Her nightmares needed to stay that way-nightmares, and nothing more.

Usagi closed her eyes, longing for a dreamless sleep. She had been unable to rest last night, and she had stayed awake all day, as the police had wanted some follow-up questions. Afterwards, she and her family had spent the rest of the day enjoying each other's presence, knowing how lucky they were to have each other. Were it not for Sailor V and the mysterious but noble Tuxedo Kamen, she would have died.

She shifted, turning under the covers to face her window, to face the moonlight drifting softly through the panes. She relaxed her breathing, and after twenty minutes, Tsukino Usagi had fallen into a restless sleep.

It was the same nightmare again. Faces, so many faces, flashing before her. Blood, everywhere. And that voice, again, urging her, insisting that she help them.

_How?_ she screamed into the darkness, knowing there would be no reply. She stepped backwards, only to have her shoe slide along something slick and wet. Blood, she knew, but she didn't look down, fearing what she would see, whose prone bodies she would find at her feet, drowned in a sea of their own blood. _What can I do?_ she screamed at the black emptiness that was the sky.

Silence. Faces continued to flash before her, and she wanted to scream in frustration. _Why me? I can't do anything!_

Suddenly, the reel of faces playing in her mind's eye vanished, and a familiar masked figure appeared from the darkness. The figure smiled at Usagi, and Usagi suddenly realized that she was gripping something tightly in her right hand.

_"Take that compact in your hand, and imagine the moonlight shining from it."_ Sailor V's words echoed through the dark void, and Usagi raised the compact to her face, examining her reflection. She gasped, for it wasn't her own reflection that she saw, but Sailor V's own smiling face.

Usagi glanced up, but Sailor V had gone, leaving the gaping darkness behind her. Usagi looked once more at the compact, and this time, she tried to imagine moonlight pouring forth from its depths.

A slow cackle broke her concentration, and the young girl gasped, turning around quickly, only for her heart to pound in her ears and for dread to fill her heart.

The dark cloud, its gleaming red eyes blinding against the deep shadows, loomed before her. It approached slowly, and as it neared, the faces began to return to her mind. Dead, all of them. Because of this thing? She didn't know-all she knew was that she had to get away, she had to survive, there was death all around her, and-

_Save them!_ commanded the unknown voice from the edges of the darkness. _Use your power!_

She felt tears spring to her eyes, she had no power, she'd had this nightmare before, she couldn't escape, she-and then her eyes fell upon the compact in her hand.

Everything that happened next seemed so hazy; as though in a daze, Usagi raised the compact above her head, and a silver glow escaped it, surrounding her with pure, warm light. It banished the shadows nearest her, and the dark entity that had towered over her drew back.

A tingling, warm sensation ran over her skin, and she closed her eyes, letting the warmth fill her. She felt energized, and she laughed at the sheer joy the energy brought to her.

When she opened her eyes, there were no doubts in her mind about what she had to do. The dark form still lingered, though it had distanced itself from her. Usagi felt the power thrumming in her veins, and she knew without having to look. _I can do this!_ she thought elatedly.

Without hesitating, Usagi leapt forward, and thrust out the compact, letting the mirror point to the dark creature. Silver energy shot forth, spreading in a sphere around her, and it collided with the darkness. The creature let out a shriek, and then it began to retreat hastily. Usagi beamed as it vanished, and suddenly the bodies on the floor were no longer dead-the people rose as though they had merely been sleeping. The light from her compact illuminated their smiles.

Usagi glanced down in wonder at the compact she held in her hand, then did a quick double take. Her reflection stared back at her, and Usagi blinked in surprise.

Her hand tentatively reached for the white mask above her eyes, and she stared at the crescent moon that adorned her forehead.

Usagi gaped into the mirror, and the image of Sailor V gaped back at her.

* * *

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(^~^)

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* * *

Minako sighed internally as she accepted her tardy slip and exchanged joking words with the secretary, Ms. Tanaka. The two had an ongoing game of sorts, where Minako would try to get to school early and set "records" for her timeliness; though Minako enjoyed the game, she knew Ms. Tanaka's true intention was to one day, hopefully, get Minako to school on time consecutively so as to "win" and beat all her old records. It had irked her at first, but Ms. Tanaka was such a kind woman, and Minako came to enjoy the game.

Of course, that didn't mean she ever made an honest attempt at breaking her old records-when a girl stays up past midnight every night, conducts extensive physical activity fighting evil monsters, and then uses a load of healing magic in her sleep to recover from the night's injuries-well, a girl could only make so much of an effort to wake up on time in the mornings.

"Miss Aino, you're ten minutes later than last week's worst time," remarked Ms. Tanaka. "You really have to make more of an effort to make any new records this week. You were surprisingly early last week."

Minako smiled weakly. "Yea, I guess so." Last week, she had been accustomed to the energy her compact provided; this week, she had to adjust to the new energy output of her Senshi pen, as well as the much more direct link to her powers that the pen afforded. With her compact, her energy had been channeled through a moon-based filter, and while it had made her attacks easier to control, it had also depleted the raw power behind her attacks. Last night, after she had defeated the Youma, and Artemis had gifted her with her new pen, she had been adjusting to the new energy output of her attacks, as well as to the loss of fine control. It had been exhausting. Needless to say, she slept as long as she could without her parents becoming overly suspicious.

"See you tomorrow, Ms. Tanaka!" Minako called over her shoulder as she exited. She walked slowly down the hallway, her thoughts lingering on the weekend. Artemis had been horrified upon hearing that the Princess had been in such danger, had been so close to death.

She had given the cat a large dose of healing magic that night, and he had fallen asleep almost immediately as his body began to heal.

Sailor V had then pulled Boss out from her subspace pocket to discuss the matter of Serenity's_-Usagi's_-protection. A long discussion had ensued.

_"If you would just let me awaken them," Sailor V said, "we could protect-"_

_"It would be unwise to awaken them in the same manner as you," Boss interjected, the pen winking in the dark night. "The compacts, as you know, are weak; our enemy is strong, Venus. To awaken them with compacts would not only make it difficult for them to utilize their full powers, but also for them to remember their last lives." Sailor V opened her mouth; but Boss' light winked angrily. "Venus, your full power has never been unleashed using the compact, and your memories returned only because of a direct link with your past life through Kaitou Ace, and he had to use a powerful spell, to boot."_

_Sailor V huffed. "I would have remembered even without his spell. I was already starting to-"_

_"You were _beginning_ to remember your past, but it took you months to even reach that point. Kaitou Ace used the last of his life energy to release the seal on your memories, a difficult feat that he couldn't have performed in any other circumstance. Nothing short of direct contact with someone of their past and a substantial amount of life-energy can release the seal on their memories, Venus."_

_Sailor V sighed in defeat. "I could probably speed up the process by just nudging the seal a bit," she said, almost like an afterthought._

_Boss winked. "You could. But the magical deterioration of the seal that would ensue would still take more than a year to complete, at best. Granted, it's better than the natural deterioration of the seal-what you had begun to experience, before Kaitou Ace released your memories-that would take years to complete. Without Luna's pens, their powers and their memories will be subdued. That is why Luna _must_ be found."_

_Sailor V was quiet for some time. "Boss," she said, and the light from the pen in her hand blinked rapidly, startled at her authoritative tone. "We don't have the luxury of time on our side. Artemis predicts that there will be a massive assault lead by the Dark Kingdom soon; I am already run thin from the nightly attacks, and I can't do anything about the daily attacks that occur while I'm in school. They're slowing me down, weakening me, wearing me thin, Boss. They'll attack soon, for real-this time, they'll aim to kill me, once and for all. And tonight has made it clear: the others need to be awoken. The Princess _must_ be kept safe from harm. If I die, at least one of them needs to be in a position to protect her."_

_Boss winked once, twice. Then the light dimmed, and a crackle of static permeated the air, as a soft sigh emanated from the speakers on the pen. _

_"Very well, Venus. You make a good point. We will need to shift focus from locating Luna to awakening at least one other Senshi. But once one of them has been awakened, and trained so she can competently use her powers in battle and to protect the Princess, we will again turn our attention to Luna."_

_Sailor V nodded, a grave look on her face. "Agreed."_

Aino Minako stepped into class, was berated by Ms. Haruna for being later than Usagi, and then seated herself as class continued. Her eyes landed on Usagi, and Minako noticed that Usagi seemed to be bubblier than usual, especially considering that it was morning.

The day whizzed by, and soon Minako found herself on the roof, alone, bento in hand as she sat on one of the benches. She ate slowly, deliberately, and kept her eyes trained on the sky.

The creaking of a door signified the arrival of someone else, and the crunching gravel of approaching feet meant that this someone was heading towards her. Minako didn't need to look to see who it was.

"Aino Minako."

Minako didn't turn around. "Mizuno Ami."

Ami stepped into Minako's line of vision, and Minako blinked, surprised at the usually calm girl's suddenly fierce demeanor.

"What are you hiding?" Ami snapped, and Minako's training kicked in, her face becoming an impassive mask.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said airily. Ami's piercing eyes didn't leave hers, though, as the girl reached a hand into her bag and pulled out a folder of papers. Ami let the folder fall onto the bench beside Minako.

"What's this?" Minako asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Look inside," Ami said coldly, and Minako couldn't help the shiver that trailed down her spine at the harsh sound of her old friend acting so callously towards her. Nonetheless, she took the folder in her hands, balanced it in her lap, and opened it to examine its contents. Only her training kept her from gasping, though she couldn't help the involuntary tensing of her body.

"These are leaked police files," Ami said, and Minako's eyes widened, her training failing her.

_She can read Moon Script?_ Minako thought, panicked. _Artemis told me he encrypted those files as well as encoded them entirely using Moon Script. How did she...?_ Minako's own thoughts answered. _She's Mercury, after all. I should've known; if anyone could hack into those files, it'd be her._

"All of them are about you, Minako," Ami stated.

Minako decided to see just how much her old friend had figured out. "So?"

Ami's eyes flashed dangerously. "One of the largest attacks conducted by Youma, two years ago, December 17th. The Youma targeted Tokyo Tower, and Sailor V defeated them, though she was severely injured. She, however, managed to heal every person who had been caught up in the attack.

One of those reports notes that you were found a block away, on a rooftop, heavily drained of energy and recovering from a large gash on your arm. The police assumed you were an unlucky teenager who was attacked by some Youma before the Youma went to Tokyo Tower."

A long pause followed Ami's words, and Minako heard only the sound of the wind and the incessant chattering of students far below, a constant drone that was unintelligible from this height.

"And what do you think?" Minako asked softly.

Ami's eyes suddenly lost their sense of confidence. Minako glimpsed uncertainty in those familiar yet foreign eyes.

"My first hasty conclusion was that you were perhaps a cohort of some sort to the Youma. The fact that you disappear every time a Youma attacks was evidence enough for anyone to see that you have a connection of some sort to them. But the Tokyo Tower incident changed my mind. Sailor V is known for her compassion and, wounded or not, for her thoroughness in handling Youma situations. If she is unable to heal someone, she makes sure that an ambulance is sent. Leaving even a single girl with injuries, alone on a roof-well, it's not something Sailor V would do. I examined the evidence closer."

Ami paused, and her eyes locked with Minako's. Minako couldn't help but think that Mercury, Princess of Ice, was aptly named-her demeanor matched the title perfectly, even though Ami was still uncertain of her next words.

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, a gash on your right arm, severe energy depletion, your location on the roof, the fact that you've been late to class returning onto campus on the same days as Youma attacks... Blond hair, blue eyes, severe injuries, severe energy exhaustion, use of rooftops to travel, shows up at every Youma attack, save for most of those that occur during school hours... I don't see the resemblance, personally, but..." Ami trailed off, her eyes running up and down Minako, as though measuring her.

"But what?" Minako asked quietly, her heart pounding.

"But, I think the facts are too conclusive." Ami shook her head, the fierce determination returning to her eyes. "Aino Minako, are you or are you not Sailor V?"

Minako and Ami stared at each other in a prolonged stunned silence. Then Minako smirked wryly.

_Seems like we'll have to put the plan into action even sooner than I expected._

"Ami-Chan," she said, standing, her half-eaten lunch forgotten. "If you want to find out the truth, meet me outside Game Center Crown today, after school." She quickly gathered her things and headed for the door.

"Wait," Ami said hastily, grabbing the folder and following after the blonde. "You didn't answer my question!" she said.

Minako looked over her shoulder and shrugged. "I'll see you later, Ami-chan."

* * *

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c(")(")

* * *

Kino Makoto surged to her feet, glaring at the screen before her. A sad tune played as the blond character on the screen fell to the ground, clutching at her heart. The screen darkened, and Makoto huffed as the words 'GAME OVER' appeared in bold white lettering, along with a countdown of ten seconds.

"Bah!" Makoto grumbled. She had already spent around five hundred yen on this game, and she knew that she should probably have saved that money to buy groceries for the week, but she just couldn't seem to be able to summon the willpower necessary to leave the game unfinished. Something about the game drew her in, hypnotized her, and sometimes she could swear the game was actively attempting to kill her character, despite everything she did to prevent Sailor V's death.

Sighing, she slid off the booth and decided to spend the last bit of the spare change in her possession on something of actual value. She trudged to the counter and took a seat, enjoying the view the seat offered of Motoki's rear as the young man made smoothies.

When Motoki noticed her, he beamed at her, and she returned his smile.

"Heya!" he said. "The usual?"

She nodded, digging in her bag and producing the appropriate change. Motoki accepted it and swiftly prepared her chocolate shake. She thanked him, and then she rose from her seat and began walking outside.

However, before she reached the door, two girls walked in. Makoto blinked in surprise at the unusual hair color of the pair-blue, like the ocean, and blond, like the sun. The two girls were so engrossed in their conversation, they failed to notice Makoto, and Makoto was forced to swerve sharply in order to avoid colliding with them. Unfortunately, this lead to Makoto spilling some of her shake.

Hissing in displeasure, the girl grabbed some napkins and began to clean the mess up; the two girls who had indirectly caused said mess had seated themselves in a booth nearby, and Makoto was privy to their conversation.

"So, Ami-Chan," said the blond in a cheerful tone. _Too damn cheerful_, Makoto thought as she wiped at the chocolate on the tiles. _If _she_ were cleaning up this mess..._

"What is it you want to know?"

The blue haired girl took a moment to answer. "I want to know the truth."

The blond let out a snicker, and Makoto frowned at the sound. It wasn't a kind laugh-but something about it hinted at some sort of hidden pain. It sent a chill down Makoto's spine.

"The truth..." The blonde repeated. "Oh, Ami-chan. If only you knew."

The blue haired girl didn't seem to take kindly to those words. "Listen, Aino Minako. I came here for the truth, not to listen to your cryptic insinuations. If you are wasting my time, then I have other things to be attending to."

There was another brief silence. Makoto glared at the napkins on the ground. Soaked through, the lot of them. With a grudging sigh, she swept to the counter and grabbed another handful of napkins.

"All right, Ami-chan. The truth, then. I'll tell you what you need to know."

"What I need to know, or what I want to know?"

"Ami-Chan, this isn't something that I can just talk freely about. You'll know everything eventually. Just not right now."

"I see. I can't say that I'm surprised."

"You're rarely surprised."

"...Shall I simply ask my questions, then?"

Makoto picked up the sopping napkins and threw them away in the nearest container. _Those two girls must be fighting over a boy, or something, _she thought. Makoto felt a rush of envy, that they could talk so freely about their crushes. That they had the freedom to _have_ crushes. She wanted that so badly for herself, to have such innocent freedom. But when one must pay for one's own apartment, for food, for transportation; well, suffice it to say that Makoto couldn't spare time for such luxuries.

"Hey, Motoki-kun," she said, and the boy raised his eyebrows at her.

"Hey, Makoto-chan. I thought you left a few minutes ago."

"I was going to, but I spilled some of my shake. Do you have anything to wipe it down with? It's kinda sticky."

He waved his hand. "I'll take care of it, don't worry-"

"No, it's okay. I don't have anything better to do." She did, but that was okay. He didn't need to know about the shopping she still had to get done, and, truthfully, she wanted to put it off. Loathe as she was to admit it, she had taken an interest in the two girls' conversation. After a small argument with Motoki, she marched victoriously back to the front, a small spray bottle and towel in hand.

"Was I right, earlier? On the roof?"

"Yes."

Makoto smirked. In her mind, a vision appeared of the blue-haired girl opening the door to the roof, only to see the blond and a boy-the boy they were fighting over-spring apart guiltily. _So much drama_, Makoto thought as she sprayed the floor and began wiping it down, her arm moving in wide arcs in order to clean all of the sticky floor. _That's why I'm glad I-_

"You're Sailor V."

Makoto's hand froze in its sweep across the tiles. Makoto glanced at the two girls, her eyes falling on the blond.

The blond girl. Sailor V. Makoto's mind flashed back to the image of a pixilated super heroine, falling to the floor, clutching her heart. No. She saw nothing in the blond's face that was reminiscent of the masked Senshi.

"Yes."

Makoto's mind whirred. She couldn't believe her ears. The girl actually believed she was Sailor V. The brunette blinked and...

And it suddenly seemed to Makoto as though a mask had been torn away, and the girl who had previously looked nothing like Sailor V suddenly looked exactly like her. _How did I not see the resemblance before?_ Makoto wondered, astonished. It was obvious, now that she knew what to look for. The blond hair, the face, the smirk, the body... How had this girl managed to hide her identity for so long? _It's like she's not even _trying_ to hide!_

"And you've kept your identity secret all this time."

"I'm sure you can understand why."

"Because you don't want your family to get hurt?"

The blond nodded. "That. But if I were to be exposed, the enemy wouldn't hesitate to hurt people in order to dispose of me. And who would protect everyone from Youma attacks if I died?"

"A fair question that I intend to ask in a bit. How do you have these powers?"

"That's something I can't reveal. Suffice it to say that-"

_BEEBEEPBEEP_.

The conversation jolted to a jarring stop at the sound of a small device's alarm, and the blond's eyes widened in alarm. She dug around in her schoolbag and procured a small pen, which was, strangely, emitting the high-pitched whirs.

"Ami-Chan," the blond said, standing quickly. "I've got to go."

"What? No! We're not finished-"

"Ami-Chan!" Makoto flinched at the commanding tone, her body stiffening in response. The blond continued. "There's an attack. I'll come back eventually, but I don't know when. If you wait, we can continue this later; if not, we'll talk tomorrow." The blond had already begun to gather her things and stood abruptly.

"Aino-San, wai-"

"See ya, Ami-chan!" The blond turned and bolted out the doors, whizzing past Makoto. Makoto could only blink at the retreating form of the blond as the girl raced down the street and out of view.

_Well, damn._ Makoto thought, stunned. _What the hell just happened? _She rose slowly and tottered back to the counter, where she handed a grateful Motoki the spray bottle and towel. Out of the corner of the brunette's eye, she watched the blue-haired girl glare at the empty booth across from her.

Makoto decided that she didn't want to become any more involved with the situation. She lived alone, after all, surviving off of a small income and a waning savings account, and if she didn't go home soon, she would likely never stop by the grocery store. Besides, after getting kicked out of high school for fighting, she had promised that she would turn her life around, start off fresh. No more fighting. She really didn't need to involve herself into this Youma mess.

So, with that decision in mind, Makoto rapidly exited the arcade, and headed to the grocery store.

* * *

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Usagi sighed contentedly as she walked home, a huge grin on her face. She was taking a detour through the park today; it was a little out of her way, yes, but she had always experienced a guilty sort of pleasure when she strolled through the verdant park, and today was a day to celebrate. She had actually done well on the quiz in Ms. Haruna's class today, and she had managed to stay awake in all of her classes! Her elated smile faded slightly as she remembered her dream from the night before; it had made today possible, since she had slept soundly after it, but the dream itself had disturbed her. She rummaged through her bag and retrieved the compact Sailor V had given her, eyeing it warily.

It _looked_ normal, that's for sure, but Sailor V had made it clear that it had some sort of latent power, a power that would protect her. Not for the first time, Usagi wondered why Sailor V had given her the compact, and why Naru-chan had not been given one. Why would Sailor V want to protect _her_? Was it just a random occurrence? Or was there any significance involved? Usagi shook her head. She just didn't know.

_And this compact,_ Usagi thought, her eyes narrowing at it. She opened it and stared at her reflection-normal Usagi, just as one would expect a reflection to be. Unlike her dream. Her dream had upset her; why in the world would she-

Usagi collided with something hard, and the compact slipped from her hand, landing between her tennis shoes and someone's loafers. Someone's _familiar_ loafers. Usagi's stomach dropped.

"Odango Atama. Why am I not surprised." The handsome young man reached down and picked up her compact, a smirk on his lips. "Admiring yourself in the mirror, eh?" He asked as he held it out for her. Usagi huffed and roughly grabbed it from him.

"I wasn't _admiring_ myself," she retorted, her cheeks coloring slightly as she held back her anger. "And why do you keep running into me?"

The boy snorted. "Why do _I_ keep running into _you?_ I think you've got things a little mixed up. _You're_ the one who keeps running into _me_, y'know." His smirk grew into a teasing smile. Usagi told herself that her heart skipped a beat out of pure frustration.

"Yeah?" She huffed. "Whatever. I-"

"YEEAARRGHHH!"

Usagi and the young man before her started in surprise at the scream, and Usagi turned around, peering into the dense foliage of trees and brush that made up the heart of the park.

"What-" Usagi began, but another shriek pierced the air.

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP!" Screeched a high voice. Usagi's hand reflexively gripped the compact in fear as passerby turned and stared into the tight trees, horrified by what they were hearing. "HELP! IT'S A YOUMA! SOMEBODY-" The voice abruptly switched from coherent speech into a bloodcurdling cry of pain.

A vile screech, inhuman, roared, drowning the previous voice. Usagi was vaguely aware of the pandemonium taking place around her, of the passerby who now ran, screaming in terror, from the park; she didn't notice the panic seizing at her heart until she took a step back.

Her heart was pounding, the blood rushing in her ears, and all Usagi could think was that she needed to move, to get to safety, she had to-

Two warm hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her gently backwards, away from the direction of the screams. Usagi whipped her head around to find the boy, a determined look on his face.

"Calm down," he said seriously, and she nodded mechanically, the fact that she had been angry at him moments before forgotten. "You need to get out of here, quickly. Here," he said, hurriedly pressing a cell phone into her palm. "Call the police. Hurry! I'm going to make sure everyone is safe!" He began to turn, presumably to run into the copse of trees. A strange sense of desperation seized Usagi upon watching him turn towards the danger, and before she knew what she was doing, she had dropped the phone, and her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

"Don't go!" She found herself pleading. "Don't go, or they'll kill you, too!" Splotches of red began to dance around her vision as memories of her nightmare invaded her mind.

His gaze softened, and he gently removed his arm from her grip. "Don't worry," he said, his dark eyes gleaming. "I'll be all right." Then his eyes sharpened. "Now get out of here!" he said in a commanding tone before he turned and raced into the thick forest.

Usagi's outstretched hand shook violently, and she felt hopelessness descend upon her. _No!_ she screamed in her mind. _He'll _die_! He- _her thoughts stopped as if they had run into a brick wall, and her gaze was drawn to the hand by her side. Where she held Sailor V's compact tightly, as though her life depended on it.

_Maybe..._ she found herself thinking, her dream from the previous night giving her hope. She hesitated a moment more until another scream rang through the deserted park. Her outstretched hand fell to her side, clutched in a fist, and determination burned in her eyes. Usagi ran forward.

_Please!_ she thought as she raced under the dancing shadows of leaves. _Please work!_ She came to a clearing and stopped beneath the bough of a Sakura tree, beholding with horror the scene playing out before her.

The boy was nowhere to be seen, though whether that was a good thing or not, Usagi didn't know. She only knew that he wasn't in the clearing, and she found herself hoping that this meant he was still safe and alive. Because the three men on the ground, and the two women beside them-Usagi couldn't tell if they were alive or not. But there was a trail of blue... _something_, almost like a smoke or vapor, rising from their bodies and coalescing into a ball. A shining, pulsing ball that was clenched between the claws of a Youma. And that Youma was flanked by three others.

Even more surprising, however, was the fact that those three Youma were all shielding the first Youma from none other than Tuxedo Kamen. _What's he doing here?_ Usagi thought briefly before the battle unfolding before her eyes distracted her from her thoughts. Tuxedo Kamen ran around the Youma, twirling a cane in his hand that would occasionally shoot out some sort of dark blast. The Youma blocked or dodged the attacks, and returned his fire with their own.

One Youma rushed forward, catching Tuxedo Kamen by surprise and slashing away his cane. The agile man danced out of the monster's reach, and produced a rose from his coat pocket.

With a flick of his wrist, the rose flew through the air at an impossible speed, striking the Youma in the arm. It screeched in pain and nursed the arm the rose had impaled.

Tuxedo Kamen dashed to his fallen rod and retrieved it. Another Youma, however, had broken rank, and as it opened its mouth, small projectiles shot forth. Tuxedo Kamen was too late to dodge, and he wrapped his cape around his body to offer a feeble shield.

_Thunkthunkthunkthunkthunk._

Usagi's vision flashed red, and she stumbled backwards until she found her back pressed against a tree. The rough bark anchored her back to reality, away from the vision of dead figures that had invaded her vision, away from the terrifying image of blood spurting from beneath Tuxedo Kamen's cape, and she took a deep, calming breath.

She raised the compact above her head. A cry of pain tore through the air, and Usagi willed with all her might for something-_anything-_to happen.

And then she felt a familiar warmth spread through her body as the compact began to glow with a silver light. Unbidden, four words found their way to the tip of her tongue, and though in any other situation, she would have laughed at the phrase, for some reason, it felt like the most natural thing to say in a moment of peril and danger such as she found herself in. She let the words flow freely from her lips.

"Moon Prism Power, Make-Up!"

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A/N: You may have noticed that these first few chapters have been really heavy on Minako's POV. I didn't intend for it to be this way, but it was necessary to set everything up. Now, though, we'll start to see more of Usagi's POV as her adventures begin. Minako won't be going away, but she'll definitely move away from the spotlight. This was the first chapter without an obligatory action scene (there was a bit of action at the beginning, but I didn't introduce a new fight scene lol). It was very difficult to write this chapter, but I'm satisfied with it. It's a far cry from perfect, but it's good. :)

I want to thank all of those who have faved/followed this story. But I want to send a special thank you to all those who reviewed! This story probably would have left my mind if not for the constant reminders throughout the year.

Also, I haven't written chapter 5 yet. I need some ideas of where you readers want this story to go. I have the main ideas in mind, but I want to hear your thoughts. I'm not trying to get reviews; what I want is to hear some feedback. I'm writing this story in order to improve my storytelling skills, after all. Getting favorites and follows is great, but it doesn't tell me much in the way of my technical skills; all that means is that I have a potentially interesting story. I would really appreciate it if you would help with that and let me know about anything you enjoyed or disliked as far as diction, syntax, plot, etc. :)

Now I'll rant about my life. I finish my high school finals tomorrow (though one's AP Music Theory and the other is Madrigals, so they don't really count). Basically, my last day of school is tomorrow. And I graduate on June 11. It's rather surreal. These past four years just flew by. And then college awaits. I'll miss my friends, but I know I'll make new ones and keep some of the old. So I'm looking forward to the future. But it's still bittersweet, this ending.

Anyways, ta-ta, and if you read my entire author note, you deserve a hug!


	5. Chapter 5: Are We Friends?

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or these places. I wish I could write an awesome disclaimer-one that's witty and gloriously funny. But alas, this is all I can produce at the moment. Sorry.

A/N: I always do A/N at the end of the chapter, but this is so important, it has to be up here at the top...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USAGI-CHAN! :D

* * *

**Sailor Moon: Haato Wa Mangekyou**

Chapter 5: Are We Friends?

* * *

Usagi felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins as a shimmering layer of magical energy enveloped her. She could feel the sparks of energy playing across her skin, rushing inside of her, moulding her body into something stronger, faster, and imbuing it with magic the likes of which sent a tingle of excitement running through her. She gasped as, abruptly, the energy rushed inside her, and its sudden absence on her skin left goose bumps along her arms. Her heart felt so warm, though, and she couldn't keep from smiling.

She was clad in what could only be described as a Senshi outfit, with a blue skirt and white mask. But Usagi didn't pause to register her new clothing. A new confidence filled her, and she rushed into the clearing, compact held tightly between her gloved fingers.

"Stop!" she cried, and the Youma turned to regard her, their eyes widening in surprise. Usagi stopped with arms outstretched before the fallen form of Tuxedo Kamen, crumpled beneath his cape, his top hat lying on the ground a few feet away. She sucked in a deep breath, her head still light from the rush the magic had given her.

"Don't hurt him!" she continued, a spark behind her masked eyes. The ball of blue energy in the main Youma's hand spasmed as one of the victims moaned; Usagi's eyes narrowed as her gaze was drawn to the prone bodies. "You're hurting them! Let them go!"

The Youma who had attacked Tuxedo Kamen guffawed at her pleads and proceeded to laugh, and its three partners soon joined in. "Where's your customary speech, huh?" It asked in a darkly amused tone.

Usagi blinked. "Eh?"

The Youma shook its head. "Stupid Senshi," it hissed, red eyes gleaming. "Time to die, Sailor V!"

Usagi barely had time to throw herself to the left as the Youma's jaws parted, and a group of projectiles shot at her with incredible speed. Luckily, she noted after a brief moment of panic, the projectiles had flown over Tuxedo Kamen, and had not injured him in any way. Usagi stumbled slightly after this revelation, and she glanced up just in time to notice a second Youma closing in, claws poised to rake at her.

"Ack!" She cried as she dodged the swipe. Unbidden, a memory from the Youma incident at Naru's house came to her mind, and an image of Sailor V pointing her finger and shooting a yellow beam of energy or magic at a Youma burned itself into her mind.

Usagi tentatively raised her own hand, index finger pointing at the Youma that had just attacked her. "Crescent Beam!" She cried, hoping against all hope that she would be able to mimic one of Sailor V's attacks.

Nothing happened.

Usagi's stomach dropped. _Oh, no!_ she thought. And then she didn't have time to think anymore, because the Youma were attacking again. It was fortunate that the magic of the compact had magnified her reflexes so much, or else the projectiles that flew by her as she ducked would have found a home within her skull. Instinct took over then, and Usagi's leg shot out, sweeping under the closest Youma and knocking the creature over. She retreated, hopping backwards, her breath ragged, and her senses returned.

_Oh, no!_ she thought as she took in the situation. Tuxedo Kamen was still lying on the ground, and blood was slowly seeping out from under his cape, staining the grass around him a deep red. _Oh no oh no oh no!_ Blue lines of energy were still trailing through the air, coalescing into the hand of the Youma, and the victims grew paler and stiller with each passing second. And the Youma she had knocked over was standing up now, glaring at her through narrowed, fiery eyes.

_Wait,_ Usagi thought, her eyes darting from Youma to Youma. _One, two, three..._ Her eyes widened. _Where's—_

A sharp, burning pain in her side knocked her off her feet, and she landed in a heap several feet away, her side burning. She wanted to scream. Instead, she looked up in time to see several projectiles headed her way, and she rolled over to avoid them, ignoring the searing pain in her side. She scrambled to her feet, slipping slightly in the unfamiliar heels as she tried to catch her breath.

The Youma that had struck her approached quickly, with no hesitation. It faced her, arms outstretched, and Usagi noted with dread the balls of fire it held in each hand. She wondered briefly if one of those fireballs had struck her in the side earlier. The flames threw off such an intense hear that Usagi could feel it even from where she stood. Panic set in, and Usagi began to hyperventilate. The Youma approached, hands upraised and fire growing in proximity and intensity. _Ican'tdothisI'mgoingtodieI—_

Suddenly, Usagi became aware of everything around her, and it seemed as though time had slowed; the Youma's movements appeared to be moving in slow-motion, as if it were underwater. The warmth that had settled in her heart when she had transformed spread through her, warming her insides, relaxing her. The pain from her injury vanished completely as it healed, and Usagi felt confidence return to her even as the Youma's hands approached. She became acutely aware of the compact still gripped firmly in her hand. And then she felt a strange sort of contentment fill her, for she knew what she had to do.

Time righted itself, and Usagi leapt high, higher than she'd ever leapt before thanks to the magic filling her body. She went soaring, high into the sky, above the treeline. She could see downtown Tokyo from here, could see her school and her home. She could see the entire world, or at least, that was how she felt at that moment, so sure was she of her next actions.

Usagi returned her attention to the ground below her, and she quickly pointed the compact at the ground, towards the small clearing. She imagined white, pure energy pouring forth from the compact, much as it had in her dream the night before.

"Moon Twilight Flash," she whispered, the words gently fluttering from her lips, like a wisp of memory long forgotten slowly departing from its state of slumber.

Brilliant silver light shot forth from the open compact, engulfing the clearing below her, and the Youma screeched briefly before being silenced by the raw power of the attack. She closed her eyes, reveling in the acute sensation of happiness that accompanied the blast. The light soon faded, leaving nothing but faint, silvery wisps of energy trailing through the air.

The Youma were gone.

Usagi landed softly on the grass, easily keeping her footing. Without noticing what she was doing, she pocketed the compact in her Subspace pocket, then walked briskly to the victims. They had begun to awaken, their eyes flickering about behind closed eyelids, and their mouths opened to make incoherent sounds before closing again. The victims were smiling, as though they were experiencing a pleasant dream. Usagi hoped that it was so. _These poor people deserve a lovely dream, for all the pain they were forced to suffer through_, she thought sympathetically.

Usagi turned around and ran to the fallen form of Tuxedo Kamen. There was still blood staining the grass below him, and her heart thudded in her ears upon the sight. Was she too late? _No_, she found herself thinking. "Tuxedo Kamen," she whispered. She was surprised at the crack in her voice. "Tuxedo Kamen, are you okay?"

The masked man's limbs stirred beneath his cape, and slowly, very slowly, the man lifted himself into a sitting position. She tried to offer assistance, but he shrugged her off.

"Are you all right?" She asked, concern evident in her voice. Her eyes wandered over his body, and she was surprised to find no evidence of injury on him. It was as if he had not been pierced by dozens of sharp projectiles just minutes before, as if he had merely been lying on the ground, taking a peaceful nap. But the blood still staining the grass beneath his form told her otherwise.

The corners of Tuxedo Kamen's mouth sloped downwards in a frown. "Thanks," he stated curtly, and Usagi flinched at the glare he shot toward her as she tried to help him stand. "I'm _fine_," he snapped, pushing himself to his feet. He dusted his clothes off.

Usagi blinked. "Oh!" She squeaked, and she rushed to his fallen hat, picking it up. "Here," she said softly.

Tuxedo Kamen took his hat roughly and placed it on his head. "I don't need your help, Sailor V," he stated. "I won't change my mind. I've told you a thousand times before, I-"

"I-I'm not Sailor V," Usagi said, blushing as she became aware of her short skirt and bare legs. Now that she looked, she noticed that she did indeed resemble the superhero she who admired; her clothes were nearly identical, and she even had her own mask, though the color was different.

Tuxedo Kamen stared at her in silence for several moments after her statement, his hand still on the rim of his top hat.

"What?" he asked intelligently.

"I'm not Sailor V," Usagi repeated, her eyebrows knitting together in sudden concern. "I... Umm..."

"But," sputtered Tuxedo Kamen, looking her up and down with a confused expression. "But you _are_ Sailor V." Suddenly his expression darkened. "If this is some kind of ploy to get me to join you, it isn't working."

"I... No!" Usagi said. "I'm _not_ Sailor V! I-"

"She's not Sailor V," came a familiar voice to their right, just outside the clearing. Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen faced the direction where the voice had spoken. Two orange heels came into view, followed by the rest of a toned body. Orange skirt, long, flowing blond hair tied back by a red hair ribbon; a chain dangled from her hip. No mask adorned her face, and yet Usagi knew somehow that, even without a mask, she would still not be able to uncover the girl's identity.

"I am," said the young woman. "Or, I was," she amended. "I'm Sailor Venus, now."

"Sailor Venus," breathed Usagi, eyes wide with awe. _So __**that's**__ what the V in her name stood for._

"But," breathed Tuxedo Kamen, his low baritone voice breaking Usagi from her thoughts. "If you're Sailor V, then who...?" He turned to regard Usagi once more, confusion evident on his features as his eyes roved up and down her figure. She shifted uncomfortably.

"That's what I want to know," said Sailor Venus, her blue eyes narrowing at Usagi. "Who are you?"

"I..." Usagi's brain was working on overdrive. _Wait. Sailor V gave me the compact. She had to know what it would do. She even told me to imagine moonlight coming from it! Why doesn't she know me? This doesn't make any sense!_ "I... Don't you remember me, Sailor V?" She asked.

Sailor Venus took another step forward. "No. Should I?"

"We... We met just..." Usagi said, trailing off. "You... In my dreams, you told me..." Usagi's voice trailed off upon seeing the skeptical look that had crossed Sailor Venus' face. Usagi's heart felt like someone had just dropped a ton of bricks on it. "You... You don't remember?" She whispered.

Sailor Venus opened her mouth to respond, but Tuxedo Kamen cut in before she could say anything.

"A voice in your dream?"

There was something in his voice that drew Usagi's attention, an intense emotion she couldn't quite identify.

"Does it ask you to do something you can't do?" Tuxedo Kamen whispered quietly, so only she could hear.

"Yes," she breathed in response. She had never been able to save the people in her dreams; not until Sailor V had given her the compact. No, Usagi had hated her nightmares, hated the fact that her dreams always insisted on having her faced with an impossible task. But now... Now, everything was different.

Tuxedo Kamen regarded her for several moments, his mask obscuring his eyes from view. "What's your name? What do we call you?" He finally asked.

Usagi blinked behind her white mask. "Ahh... Ummm.." Her mind raced, and her eyes darted around for some sort of inspiration. She found none. "I'm... Ahh.."

A memory flared through her mind. As a child she had always loved to imagine herself as a princess, living in a palace, with guards and servants.

Her mother had always laughed and played along with the childish whim.

_"So, where exactly do you live, my little Princess?" She asked Usagi, smiling._

_Usagi beamed up at her beautiful mother. "I live on the moon! I rule over the planet of the moon!"_

_Ikuko laughed, her long hair shaking behind her. "Oh, sweetie," Ikuko said, running a hand through her daughter's long hair. "The moon isn't a planet. It's a moon-a lovely, beautiful rock that orbits the Earth. The Earth is a planet, but the moon is too small to be one."_

_Usagi became very sad. "But the moon is so pretty, Mommy," she said, as though that were explanation enough. And for a child, it was._

_"Yes, it is, sweetheart," Ikuko smiled. "Yes, it is."_

Emotion washed through Usagi, and the magic circulating in her body augmented those feelings. That same strange confidence filled her, and she stood straight and tall, placing her hand on her heart. "I am Sailor Moon, Senshi of Love and Justice!" She beamed at the two before her. "You can trust me, I promise," she said, outstretching her hand.

Tuxedo Kamen nodded and took her hand, shaking it. "Tuxedo Kamen. We'll meet again. I can feel it," he said, a smirk on his face that held meaning only he understood. His hand fell from hers, and she told herself that the blush on her face was merely due to her recent exertion against the Youma. "I've got to go." With that, he turned and leapt into the foliage behind him. Usagi watched him disappear with a sigh.

"You're not a Senshi," Sailor Venus said, breaking the silence, eyes narrowed. Usagi whipped around to once more face the other woman. "You are _not_ a Senshi," repeated the blond girl, almost as though she were reassuring herself.

Usagi bit her lip. "I... I know. I'm new, and-"

Usagi's words died in her throat at Sailor Venus' glare. "I don't know who you are, or what you're up to with my old fuku," said Sailor Venus darkly. "But if I find out that you're in league with the Dark Kingdom, it'll be the end of you." With that, Sailor Venus leapt away, landing in the bough of a tree and casting one more dark glare at Usagi before bounding away.

Usagi stared in shock at Sailor V's figure until she could no longer see the Senshi.

"I thought she'd never leave," came a voice from behind Usagi. Usagi turned around swiftly, her eyes widening.

"T-Tuxedo Kamen!" She gasped. "I thought you left!"

Tuxedo Kamen stepped out from the shadows around the clearing. "I wanted her to think that, too," he stated. Then he nodded to her right, and Usagi followed his gaze towards the stirring victims. "Let's get out of here before they wake up," he said. "Follow me." With a flourish of his cape, the masked man turned and leapt onto a tree limb.

Taking a deep breath, Usagi followed him. He led her out of the park, and then he stopped at the edge of the park. "Up there," he said, pointing to a four story building. Then he jumped, and Usagi's eyes bulged as she watched his ascent. He arced gracefully over the edge of the building and landed on its roof.

Usagi took a deep breath, feeling the magic energy pulsing wihin her in time with her heartbeats. She pushed the energy to her feet and pushed off, hurtling into the sky after Tuxedo Kamen. To her dismay, she had overshot the building a little, and had it not been for Tuxedo Kamen intercepting her flight, she would have continued straight over the building.

Tuxedo Kamen landed lightly, and Usagi blushed as she realized the position he held her in; bridal style, and he didn't even seem to be aware of it. He set her down carefully , and Usagi retreated from him.

_Why am I following him?_ she wondered, gazing at the mysterious man. _The boy from earlier could be looking for me in the park, so why is it that I don't seem to care about that right now...?_

"Tell me, Sailor Moon," he said, his baritone timbre sending a slight tingle down her spine. "Why do you look exactly like Sailor V? Especially seeing as how she wasn't too keen on you earlier."

Usagi sighed. "I... I don't know," she said. "Sailor V gave me a compact, and I had a dream, and I did what the dream told me to do, and then I transformed... I thought she would recognize me, though, but she acted like she hated me, and... And I don't know," she admitted. Whether it was because of his saving her a few days before, or whether it was because of some other reason, Usagi felt that she could trust Tuxedo Kamen with her secrets.

Tuxedo Kamen frowned. "A compact?" He frowned. "May I see it?" He asked.

Usagi blinked. "I... Ahh... I put it somewhere earlier. I just don't know... How..." Her hand wavered around her hip level, gesturing at a patch of air by her side. Usagi blushed. She must have seemed like an idiot to him, with her hand flopping like a fish at her side.

Tuxedo Kamen seemed to understand her floundering, though, because he nodded. "Subspace pocket. Just reach into the space as though it were a normal pocket. It'll be there when you reach for it, if you will it to be there."

Usagi blinked. "Ummm... Okay," she said. She focused on the patch of air beside her, willing it to exist. _Come on, pocket! I need the compact now, to show Tuxedo Kamen._ She plunged her hand down, and, to her amazement, her hand plunged out of existence, and a cool sensation surrounded the part of her arm that seemed to vanish from thin air.

It was a strange thing, to be able to feel her arm, but not see it. She felt around in the invisible space for a while before her hand closed around a small object-the compact. She pulled it out, and her arm returned to visibility.

"Here it is," she said, holding it out for him to observe.

"May I?" He asked, his hand hovering over the compact.

She nodded, and he gingerly picked it up.

He tensed visibly, and quickly replaced the compact on her palm. He stared at her for several minutes, and Usagi shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"I don't actually know your name," he said.

Usagi smiled slightly. "Well, I didn't say my real name," she laughed. "You can call me Sailor Moon, though, I guess. I don't know your name, either, though, so-"

"No, that's now what I meant," he said. He frowned. "I don't know if I can trust you," he murmured, and Usagi caught the words and knew that he hadn't intended for her to hear them.

"You can trust me!" She said. "I... You saved my life! The least I can do is repay you!"

"You saved mine earlier today, though. That debt is repaid," he said. He let out a frustrated breath. "For whatever reason, my instinct tells me that I can trust you. My brain says otherwise, though."

Usagi tilted her head, trying to follow his thought process and failing. "Why couldn't we trust each other? We're both good people, and we can fight Youma, and there's nothing wrong with being friends."

He paused, then chuckled. "Your naivete is... refreshing. That naive way of thinking makes you... Interesting, Odango," he said. Usagi froze, her eyes widening in horror.

"No," she breathed, her mind comparing his voice to a voice she had heard less than an hour before. He moved his hand to reach the mask that hid his eyes.

"Listen. I don't know why, but I'm trusting you with this," he said, removing his mask. Usagi's breath caught upon seeing him. There was no doubt about it-the boy who she had run into again in the park was staring at her, clad in a Tuxedo, top hat, and cape.

"It's only fair that, if I know your identity, you should know mine. Besides," he continued, his deep blue eyes meeting hers with an intensity that rooted her to the spot. "I want to talk to you some more about these dreams of yours. It's easier to meet in public without wearing a disguise than it is to meet on a rooftop like this."

Usagi's mouth flapped like a fish as she struggled to make sense of everything that had just happened.

"Are you doing anything at all tonight? It's about..." He glanced at his wrist and pulled back the sleeve, revealing a golden watch. "It's about five right now. We can talk until seven, and then I can drive you home. If you're not doing anything later, of course."

Usagi blinked. This was all moving so fast, and she could hardly keep up. But, of one thing she was certain: she wanted to talk to him, to learn more about what was going on.

"I'm free," she said. He smiled slightly, and she noticed that the left corner of his mouth rose slightly higher than the right.

"Great. Let's meet... at the park, in twenty minutes. Not in our transformations," he said.

"Ah. Okay. Ummm... How do we... Un-transform?" She asked, feeling a blush heat her face. The young man looked surprised, and then he smiled.

"You just will it to be gone. Just like with the Subspace pocket. It'll happen when you want it to. But don't do it here. Too public. Best to do it in an alleyway, or hidden somewhere inconspicuous."

Usagi nodded. Tuxedo Kamen turned and leapt onto the roof of a neighboring building before dropping off the side into an alley. Usagi took a deep breath, mind still reeling somewhat, and leapt down the side of the building into a dark alleyway.

She landed roughly, tripping in her unfamiliar heels and falling on the ground. She stood and grimaced at her surroundings; garbage cans and dumpsters. _At least I didn't land on any trash,_ she thought. She glanced at the compact she was holding, and with a sudden curiosity, she opened it and gazed at her reflection.

A young girl stared back, one who looked like her and yet didn't look like her; the Odango hair buns she usually wore were still there, in their customary fashion, and two ribbons adorned them. A white mask hid her face, and she somehow knew that it, like Sailor V's red mask, would keep her identity secret. She glanced down at the rest of her outfit. The clothes she wore were identical to Sailor V's old outfit, the one Sailor V had always worn until tonight.

Quickly, she closed the compact and, with a glance about, she assured herself that nobody was in the alleyway. She closed her eyes and, as Tuxedo Kamen had told her, she willed herself to turn back to normal, picturing herself in her school uniform once more.

A strange sensation engulfed her, and she felt the warmth that had spread through her retract to her heart, slowly leaving behind a shiver of power as the magic concentrated itself into one location. She gasped as most of the magic left her, leaving a tickling sensation in its wake. But a small bit of warmth remained in her heart, and Usagi relaxed slightly as she recognized its presence. The magic was still there, within her. It would respond when she called, she knew.

She opened her eyes once more and walked out from the alley. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the light, and then, once her eyes had recuperated from the sun's glare, she hurried to the park, where a young man with dark hair and a smirk that sent her heart pounding and her temper flaring awaited.

* * *

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(^~^)

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* * *

"What the _hell_ was that?" Sailor Venus cried, her fist slamming onto the tabletop. No sooner had she left the park than she had rushed straight back to HQ, entering from the back entrance in the alleyway behind Game Center Crown. She wasn't ready to talk with Ami yet. Right now, there were more pressing matters. "Artemis!" Sailor Venus whirled to face the white cat, who was typing furiously into the mainframe computer, his tail and whiskers twitching nervously. "Who was she?"

Artemis sighed in frustration. "I don't know, Minako! She appeared out of nowhere! All I know right now is that she calls herself Sailor Moon and she somehow managed to draw raw energy from the moon itself."

Sailor Venus huffed and sank heavily into the chair beside him. "But the Moon's magic is supposed to be sealed-only the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou should be able to unlock the seal on it. And as to her being a Senshi, I know for a fact that she isn't one-the Moon never _had_ its own guardian!" Sailor Venus rubbed her forehead, recognizing that the dull pain in her head would likely grow into a raging headache by the end of the night. "But she has Senshi powers, that's for sure. She may be ripping off my old look, but the powers she used were genuine. I can't see past her mask, and the magic shielding her identity is as strong as the magic shielding my own identity." Venus sucked in a breath of air. "She managed to take out four Youma in less than a minute. _Four!"_ Sailor Venus exclaimed. Then she let out a bark of wry laughter. "She didn't even have a single casualty."

Boss chirped from the tabletop. "I just ran a system check over here on my end of things, and it seems that she absorbed an unprecedented amount of moon energy. The energy she absorbed wasn't restored, either, which means that she either stored it in a Moon-Energy storage container, like your old compact, Sailor V, or she has somehow managed to assimilate the energy into her own body. Either way, the consequences of such actions could be disastrous if the Dark Kingdom is able to get their hands on that energy."

"Great! Just _flipping_ great!" Sailor Venus cried. "There's a rogue Senshi running around who has somehow bypassed all the Moon's magical barriers that were _supposed_ to be impenetrable except for the Princess herself! And we don't even know if this new Senshi is _on our side!_" Sailor V covered her face with her hands. "How am I supposed to protect Serenity from _this?"_

Artemis glanced worryingly at Sailor Venus. She was holding her head in her hands, a grimace on her face; the poor girl had circles under her eyes that were outrageous-she had had very little sleep the night before, what with training in her new form as Sailor Venus and healing from the Youma attack. And then she had had to confront Ami earlier than anticipated; their plan hadn't been completed, but Minako had been forced to initiate it prematurely and begin to tell Ami the truth. He let out a sigh. No wonder the kid was exhausted.

"Minako-chan," he said. "Why don't you take a break? You've had no rest lately, and Ami is still upstairs waiting for an explanation. I'll let you know if there's another spike in negative magical output from a Youma attack. Go talk to Ami." Even though Ami and Minako were not friends in this life, Artemis knew that it put Minako at ease to be with one of her old friends, even if the girl couldn't remember anything from their past lives during the Silver Millenium.

Sailor Venus sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose. "I just... Artemis, this Sailor Moon... I feel like I should know who she is. She... she worries me."

Artemis returned his attention to the monitor and began clacking away on the keyboard. "Me too, Minako-chan. Me, too."

Sailor Venus stood and let her fuku fade away in a shimmering of orange dust. "See you later, Artemis," Minako said, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Right," he said, nodding. Minako exited the control room from the back entrance, and the doors closed softly behind her, the outline of the doors melting away into a camouflage that matched the plaster of the wall.

Minako trudged around the building and entered Game Center Crown from the front. Immediately, she felt the pull of a stare to her right, and she didn't need to look to see that Ami was waiting for her. Minako's tense shoulders relaxed slightly at the familiar sight of the blue-haired girl, even though there was suspicion in her gaze. Minako had missed her friends, so even this meeting was a small comfort.

"I'm back!" She said in a cheerful voice, a huge smile on her face.

"I see," Ami replied as Minako skipped to the table and scooted into the booth across from her.

"Well, that was fun!" Minako lied. Finding a mysterious new Senshi was anything but fun-shocking, perplexing, and stressful were better descriptions. "Anyway, where were we before we were interrupted?"

Ami's eyebrow twitched, and Minako couldn't keep her grin from widening. She had forgotten how easy it was to annoy the girl when she was determined to get answers.

"I was asking about your powers."

"Ah," Minako said. "What about them?"

"How did you come to be in possession of them?"

"Hm. Well, I can't really go into that, see," Minako explained. Boss had urged her to keep the information she gave Ami minimal until either Ami was able to recollect something of the past or until Luna was found. "But, ah, let's just say that... I got them a long, long time ago."

"That's a very evasive answer."

"I told you I can't tell you much."

Ami's eyes narrowed. "And yet you told me who you were. Why is that?"

Minako's heart nearly stopped. She hadn't prepared for this question. Using one of the political maneuvers Serenity had taught her so long ago, Minako answered without answering. "Sometimes certain situations call for certain measures." Serenity had once used those exact words to deflect a question regarding the Moon's policies towards the Earth.

Ami rolled her eyes, and Minako wondered if the corner of her mouth had twitched out of annoyance or amusement. "Well, since you won't answer that question, I have another." Minako nodded for the girl to continue. "Why is it that you didn't resemble Sailor V at all until you admitted you were her? It was... As though a veil had been lifted, and I could suddenly see clearly what had been obscured before."

Minako chuckled. "That's part of a Senshi's power," she explained. "Unless we tell you who we are, or we let you know indirectly, you'll never be able to see the resemblance between a secret identity and the Senshi. It's an old magic, and there are some things I don't understand about it myself. I can't really tell you much more than that."

Ami stared at Minako in silence for a while, her lips pressed together. "There is magic, then," Ami said softly. "I suppose that explains everything."

Minako's thoughts showed her the image of a blond girl in her old fuku. "Most everything," she said.

Ami leaned back and let out a sigh. "How long have you been doing this?" She asked.

Minako blinked. She hadn't expected that question. "Since... The seventh grade," she said. Ami's expression softened.

"Alone," she said. Minako swallowed, hard.

"Yes," she said in a whisper.

Ami hesitated, then reached across the table, placing a gentle hand on Minako's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said.

Minako was overwhelmed with a mixture of joy and sadness. Her friend cared for her again! But at the same time, Ami's words rang so true, and the irony of it was that Ami couldn't know how significant her apology was to Minako. Perhaps the memories locked in Ami's mind had subconsciously urged the girl to apologize for being unable to help Minako fight enemies. But Minako felt that _she_ was the one who owed her friend an apology. Ami didn't remember. And it was Minako's fault that she didn't-and _couldn't_-remember.

"No. No, don't be sorry. If anything, I should be sorry," Minako said, a slight smile crossing her lips. She took Ami's hand and gave it a slight squeeze as she blinked away the slight dampness in her eyes.

Ami's eyes widened at the unexpected gesture, and she withdrew her hand. Minako noticed that the girl stared at her hand for a little longer than necessary. Then Ami shook her head slightly, and her eyes met Minako's again.

"You said "we" earlier. Are there more of you?" She asked. Minako couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at the unexpected question. She really shouldn't have been surprised-Ami was more astute than ever, and she didn't seem to miss a thing.

"There are... Many Senshi. But not here," Minako said, keeping in mind Boss' caution to not reveal too much.

Ami frowned. "If there are many, why aren't any more here to help you in your fights? It seems highly illogical, to have only a single teenage girl fighting hordes of demons that have the ability to kill dozens in a single swipe." Ami blinked, then a slight blush tinged her pale cheeks. "Ah, no disrespect meant!" She stammered.

Minako giggled. "None taken," she said, waving it off with her hand.

Ami let out a sigh of relief. Then her eyes hardened. "I have one final question, Aino Minako," she said. Minako's eyebrows furrowed at the chilly tone in Ami's voice, but she nodded, indicating to Ami to continue. "What are your intentions toward Tsukino Usagi?"

Minako startled. "Wh-what?" She stammered, her heart thundering in her chest. _But Ami-chan doesn't know about Serenity right now! It's not possible! She already said that she... What?_

"What are your intentions towards Usagi-chan?" Ami repeated in a steely voice.

Minako blinked, letting the words sink in. After a moment, she thought she had a small grasp of what Ami was getting at. "I... I'm definitely not going to hurt her, if that's what you're wondering," Minako said. "If nothing else, I promise you that I intend Usagi-chan no harm whatsoever. I'd give my life to save her."

Ami visibly relaxed then. Her curiosity piqued, Minako couldn't help but ask her own question. "Is that what this was all about?"

Ami blushed. "W-well... Ummm... Yes," she admitted.

Minako stared at her old friend in silence for several moments before bursting into a gut-wrenching bout of laughter that left tears on her face.

"Ami-chan," Minako gasped between laughs. "You haven't changed a bit!"

* * *

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(^~^)

c(")(")

* * *

Usagi stomped around the park, her eyes torn for the young man she knew she had to meet. _Where is he?,_ she wondered. Her feet were beginning to get sore.

She sighed, closing her eyes as she walked. _Well, knowing my luck, I'll never find him, and-_

Her thoughts were cut short as she bumped into something. Something warm and (strangely) familiar. No, not something. _Someone._

"Oof," said a familiar, rich baritone.

Usagi's eyes shot open. Sure enough, there he was-the young man who had riled her temper with just a few words almost every day for the past week.

"Found ya," he said, a teasing smile on his lips. "Or, rather, _you_ found _me._ Why is it we always seem to meet like this, Odango Atama?" Then the playful light in his eyes was replaced by a more serious one; and the teasing smile lighting his lips vanished. "Or, should I call you _Sailor Moon_, now?"

Usagi stiffened. "N-no," she said hastily. "Usagi. Tsukino Usagi."

"Chiba Mamoru," he replied, holding out his hand. She hesitated, then shook it, noting his firm grasp. He let their hands fall to their respective sides. "So," he said. "Let's go for a walk." He led her to a path a little always from the main walkway, and the two walked along the dirt pathway.

"How did you know?" She asked quietly. He glanced at her, then returned his gaze forward.

"Your compact," he said, and Usagi's hand unconsciously drifted to her Subspace pocket. "You dropped it, earlier. I wasn't sure if it was you, truthfully." He chuckled. "So I slipped in my little nickname for you; it was something only you'd recognize. And your reaction confirmed it, even though I couldn't see past your mask. I knew it was you."

Usagi blinked in astonishment. "Oh," she said.

"You might want to be a bit more careful with guarding your identity, in the future," he warned. She nodded.

"Y-yeah," she replied.

"I'd like to get one thing straight," he said after a lapse in conversation. "If you have powers, why would you wait until now to reveal them? Sailor V and I have been around for years."

Usagi shrugged. "I don't think they're _my_ powers," she admitted. "Sailor V gave me this compact, and... _it_ helped me transform."

The young man who was Tuxedo Kamen, Chiba Mamoru, looked inquisitive. "So you had powers, but you didn't use them until today?" He asked.

She shook her head. "No. It... I mean, I still feel something, right here," she said, placing her hand over the warmth that was still present in her heart. "But, I'd never felt it before today."

Mamoru frowned. "You mean without the compact, you couldn't transform?"

Usagi nodded. "I think. I don't know."

Mamoru pondered this for a while as the two continued their trek through the park, the trees rustling softly above them in the breeze.

"I don't need anything to transform," he said. Usagi blinked. The thought of Tuxedo Kamen _transforming_ had never really occurred to her; for some reason, she always imagined him just putting on the tuxedo and cape. But now that she thought about it, that would be awfully inconvenient, carrying the tux around with him everywhere he went. And it made sense; everyone who was able to fight the Youma, it seemed, had this strange ability to transform. Sailor V probably did, too.

Which brought her to her own set of questions. "Tuxedo Kamen," she started, but he cut her off.

"I'm just Mamoru right now," he said, a small smile lifting his lips.

Usagi nodded. "Sorry. Mamoru-kun," she started. "How... Why do we have this power? Why did Sailor V give me the compact, but then not recognize me? She seemed so upset with me today..."

Mamoru rubbed his chin thoughtfully. " My best guess is that Sailor V didn't realize the compact would let you transform. There's also some weird kind of magic protecting our identities; maybe that kept her from recognizing you," he said, and Usagi remembered Umino talking about the cloaking-magic theory before. _So Umino was right_, she thought. "As for how and why we received our powers... I don't know," he admitted. "I know a little about how our powers work, but nothing definite. Sailor V knows more than me, but we can't be allies." His gaze darkened. "Not until I find it..." He muttered.

"Find what?" She asked.

Mamoru blinked in surprise, realizing that he had spoken aloud. "Ah... Nothing," he said. Usagi opened her mouth to question him, but he began speaking again. "Sailor V. She rescued you at the Jewelry shop the other day. And she gave you the compact. That seems suspicious. Why give _you_ an object that obviously holds magical energy? Why did she single _you_ out, of all the victims she's saved?"

Usagi bit her lip. "I've been wondering the same thing," she admitted. "I can't figure it out."

The pair walked for another few minutes, their shoes scratching against the soft dirt of the trail. "Maybe," Mamoru offered. "Maybe she has some personal investment in you. Or at least your safety and the safety of those around you. Do you know Sailor V's identity?" He asked. Usagi shook her head. "Hmmm... I'd say that she did it to keep you from spilling any beans about her identity, but since you don't know who she is, that theory is shot." He sighed, running a hand through his dark locks. "Sorry I keep talking," he said, a small smile on his face. "It's the first time I've talked with anyone about this. And to be able to share the secret with someone who understands, at least a little... Thanks."

Usagi blinked, surprised at his words. "Ah. You're welcome, I guess," she said, smiling in return at him.

He took a deep breath, and then, abruptly, he stopped walking; Usagi followed suit, turning to face him. The lake that marked the center of the park was behind him, and she noticed some baby ducks swimming with their mother. "Do you know about the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou?" He asked.

"The _what_?" Usagi asked. Mamoru's shoulders slumped forward slightly upon hearing her response. The ducks in the lake let out several squawks.

"Nevermind," he said. "It's just... You said you have dreams?"

Usagi bit her lip, tearing her gaze from the ducks, and nodded. "They... They're very... Graphic," she stated lamely. "It... They're more like nightmares than dreams. There are faces. People who die, people who suffer..." She swallowed. "It's awful." She didn't mention the pools of blood she would find herself standing in, the dark being that would always hunt her down, the cold steel she would sometimes feel piercing her heart.

"Are they connected to the Youma in any way?" Mamoru asked. Usagi glanced up at him; he was at least a foot taller than her, and she had to crane her neck to look into his deep blue eyes. There was a certain mystery behind his eyes, and the blue intrigued her, drew her in. It almost seemed as though his gaze could look into the depths of her very soul, pierce through her to the core of her very being.

"When there's a Youma attack, I have a nightmare. And I see the faces of the victims," she breathed. She had never shared this secret with anyone before.

She had noticed only a few weeks ago, while watching the news with her family. The news anchor had described a fatal attack from the day before, and then went on to name the casualties. Usagi's stomach dropped as she recognized two faces. One was that of a woman with hair dyed red; Usagi remembered her for the hair. Another was a foreign woman with blonde hair, whose face Usagi remembered for its unique American features.

Both faces had been in her nightmare the night before; from that day forward, Usagi began to slowly recognize that there existed some sort of relationship between her nightmares and Youma attacks.

"I have them, too. The nightmares," Mamoru said, his voice startling Usagi from her thoughts. Her eyes widened as his words registered. "I wake up, fighting off my transformation, horrified." He swept his bangs from his eyes. "There's a woman in my dream, surrounded by light, before the faces appear. She asks me to find this... This crystal. But I've been searching for years, now, and I haven't found a trace of the thing. No mention of it in any books, no similar names in any jewelry stores; it's an impossible task." He let out a rough breath. "And when I can't find it, she starts crying. 'But then we can't save them,' she'll say, and then that's the worst part, because then her tears turn into blood, and darkness swallows her, and then I see faces in pain, screaming, crying."

He met Usagi's eyes, and Usagi noticed the dark circles under his eyes. There was understanding behind his blue eyes, though, and Usagi was suddenly struck with an idea.

"Let's work together, then," she said, extending her hand. "I'll help you look for the Crystal, and together, we can try to stop the Youma from hurting people."

Mamoru blinked in surprise at her request. Then his expression of surprise morphed into a smile. "You know, when Sailor V asked me to join her, I refused because I wanted to focus on finding the crystal. But if there are two of us searching, I'd like to divide my time between helping others and helping... _her_," he said, taking Usagi's hand. "It's a deal."

Usagi's grin was so wide that it was painful, but that didn't keep her face from lighting up with joy. "This is so cool!" She exclaimed. Then a devilish gleam appeared in her eyes. "Let's find your Crystal and then kick some Youma butt!"

* * *

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* * *

The cavern was dark, the only light issuing from the orbs of light hovering on the edges, near the walls; flickering shadows played across the walls. The air was dank, and four men shivered at the cold temperature. They cast each other furtive glances; it was never a good sign when they were summoned here.

Before them sat their pale, fiery-haired Queen atop a throne of uncaring stone; behind her loomed a cavern that led further into the bowels of the Earth, a cavern none of them wished to explore, for a dark presence lurked deep within-a presence they despised and feared.

"So, enlighten me, my Shittenou," hissed the Queen. "What happened to the energy you were to have collected today? Why do you dare return here, emptyhanded?"

"The fault is my own, Your Highness," said the blonde with short hair. He bowed low, to hide the fear in his eyes. "I... I did not expect such unprecedented energy...to have vanquished all my minions at once..."

"If I may interject, your highness," said a voice from the shadows. A young man with long, curly blonde hair stepped forward. "It seems that there are now _two_ Senshi. I recognized Sailor V's energy, though something was different about it. But there was with her another magical energy signature that I couldn't manage to get a lock on; by the time I arrived at the site of the Youma operation, both signatures were hidden behind their blasted Senshi barriers, and I couldn't find them. But there was no mistaking it-there were two Senshi at the operation point earlier today, Queen Beryl-sama."

Queen Beryl pursed her lips as the long-haired man retreated into the shadows. "_Two?_" she hissed. "I will need to discuss this with our leader." She sat back in her throne for a moment, drumming her fingers along the staff in her right hand. "Nephrite!"

A man stepped forward, his long, dark locks floating behind him. "My Queen?" He asked.

"What is your strategy now? Can the first Senshi still be eliminated, or does this new Senshi call for an entirely different mode of attack?"

The man, Nephrite, made no hesitation in his answer. "No, the new Senshi does not concern me. Sailor V is still weak, and is, at this point, only a few days away from reaching a state in which she will fall. With a direct encounter against one of the four of us, she will stand no chance of success. The new Senshi will be dealt with once Sailor V has been destroyed."

Queen Beryl nodded approvingly. "Focus on each one individually. Divide and conquer, as they say. Such a plan will most certainly yield success. And you're certain that the Senshi will be too weak to withstand a confrontation?"

"Positive, my Queen."

The Queen sneered. "Then I will give you, Jadeite, an opportunity to redeem yourself. _You_ will destroy the Senshi; fail, and I will ensure you never fail me again. Do I make myself clear?"

Jadeite nodded, swallowing hard. "Y-yes, my Queen."

"You are both dismissed," she said, and Neprnite and Jadeite retreated into the dark shadows of the cave before vanishing into dark portals.

"Zoicite!" Hissed the Queen, and the man in question bowed. "Have you discovered the identity of either Senshi?"

Zoicite scowled. "As I mentioned earlier, my Queen, the Magick protecting their identities is strong and old. But, I am in the process of developing a way to discover the identity of the Senshi. It is a flawless plan; soon, I will have for you full details."

"Good," said the red-haired woman harshly. "You are dismissed." The blond retreated as quickly as possible and vanished into the shadows.

"Kunzite."

The last Shittenou stepped forward, inclining his head, his silver hair obscuring his expression. "Yes?" He asked.

"Have you found it yet? The Maboroshi no Ginzuishou?"

The man swept his bangs from his face. "No sign of it, I'm afraid, as of yet. It's unfortunate that the Senshi utilized Moon energy today; I had just picked up a faint reading on my instruments detecting traces of extreme power. The Moon-based energy threw my sensors off, however; they will need to be re-calibrated, which could take anywhere from four to six weeks."

"See to it that you rectify this issue as soon as possible," hissed the Queen. "Our Great Leader is growing hungry, and with Jadeite's meager quantities of energy, She grows hungrier by the day. Ensure that your search is your top priority."

"It is," replied Kunzite cooly. "I've no other choice, have I," he muttered darkly.

"What was that?" asked Queen Beryl sharply, her eyes narrowing.

"Nothing, Queen Beryl-sama," he said, bowing low. "If I may take my leave."

She nodded. "Leave me."

Kunzite was only too happy to do oblige. He stepped away from the red-haired Queen and summoned a dark portal, stepping into it and crossing into the void.

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Selene paused outside the door to her apartment. Her long, wavy black hair fell below her hips, shining almost purple in the artificial light of the hallway, and it lilted behind her as she moved to stand instead in front of her neighbor's door. She knocked three times, and then she shifted the plant she held to her other hand.

The door opened, and a girl with brown hair pulled back in a ponytail was revealed. The girl's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Selene-San!" She exclaimed upon seeing the woman clad in a yellow shirt with purple flowers and black skirt.

Selene smiled and outstretched the plant in her hand as she waved. "Hello Makoto-chan. I have a present for you!"

Makoto's eyebrows shot up. "Aww, you didn't hafta do that!" She said happily as she accepted the plant. "Selene-San, you're so kind to me. I'll need to repay you someday."

Selene's grin just broadened. "As long as you stay safe and do what you do best, that will be good enough for me." Selene's grin faltered. "I just hate to see a young girl like yourself out of school, working to survive. It's just... Not right."

"What about you, though, Selene-San. Waking up from a coma and not remembering anything; I admire you so much for making something of yourself, even after all that."

Selene smiled warmly. "I suppose we're both tough cookies, then. In that case, consider it a gift from one hard-worker to another."

Makoto grinned at her. "Okay," she said.

Selene hesitated once before moving and embracing the young girl, who stiffened slightly before relaxing and returning the hug.

Selene broke away and waved. "Well, I'll be seeing you, Makoto-chan."

"Right. See ya around, Selene-San!" Selene could have sworn that there was something glittering behind Makoto's eyes as she closed the door to her apartment. but that couldn't be right; Selene had never known Kino Makoto to cry.

_No,_ Selene thought. _No, it must have been a trick of the light._ And she believed it. At least, until the unmistakable sound of sobs crossed through the thin walls.

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"Man, what a day," Minako whined, stretching her arms high above her head. There had been no other Youma attacks that day, strangely; perhaps the mysterious new Senshi had put the Dark Kingdom on guard. _Or maybe they're trying to lull me into a false sense of security_. Minako let her arms fall to her sides. _Whatever the situation, I intend to take __**full**__ advantage of this lapse in attacks!_ Minako grinned to herself and untied her hair from the towel atop her head; her waist-length hair fell down, and she relished in the feeling of weight being lifted from her head. _Would that it were my shoulders_, she thought wryly as she climbed into her bed.

She had just closed her eyes and was about to bid goodnight to Artemis and Boss when a knock sounded at her door. Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright, her heart racing.

"Minako-chan!" Came her mother's voice from the other side of the door. "May I come in?"

Minako blinked in surprise, then her eyes narrowed and she cast a dark glance at Artemis, who seemed surprised at the glare directed towards him. "I _told_ you they had noticed that something was up!" She whispered softly. Artemis merely frowned in response and snuggled closer to her at the foot of the bed.

"Sure, Mom," Minako said. Minako's mother entered. Her hair was shoulder length, wavier than Minako's. Her green eyes met with Minako's, and a concerned light shined in them. Her mother sat on the edge of Minako's bed.

"Minako-chan, your father and I have noticed that you don't seem to be getting much sleep lately. Is there anything you'd like to tell us?"

_I'm Sailor V, I'm a reincarnated Princess from Venus, I fight Youma from the Dark Kingdom every day, and I've nearly died on multiple occasions; I live to protect my Princess, Artemis can talk, I follow orders from a pen called Boss, and I'm really, really sorry I can't tell you any of this,_ Minako thought. But all she said was "Nah, I'm okay, Mom. I've just had a lot of homework lately, and you know how I am; I just love sleeping so much, if I don't sleep for 12 hours straight, I get tired. Haha." She attempted a laugh that came out sounding forced, and she flinched internally at the sound. Her mother's eyes watched her for several moments.

"Are you sure, dear?"

Minako swallowed. "Positive, Mom. I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine, really."

Minako's mother sighed and leaned forward, catching the teenager in an embrace she hadn't expected. Minako tensed at first on instinct, but then she relaxed and hugged her mother back.

"I love you so much, sweetheart. I hope you know that."

Minako's heart ached. "I know. I love you, too, Mom," she whispered. The two women sat together like that, just embracing each other, for a long time.

Finally, Minako pulled away from her mother, putting a distance between the two that caused her heart to cry. "Good night, Mom," she whispered. Her mother stood and smiled at the teenager.

"Good night, Minako-chan," whispered her mother. She then turned and exited the room, turning off the light and plunging the room into darkness before she closed the door.

Minako stared at the wooden paneling of her door for several moments before she threw herself backwards onto her pillows. She lifted her hands to cover her face, letting out a long sigh the likes of which no teenager ought to emit.

"Artemis, what'll happen to my parents if I die?"

Artemis' form at her feet tensed. This was a subject that the pair had always avoided talking about.

"Let's not think about that, Mina-Chan," Artemis said. "It doesn't do well to-"

"Artemis, look at me."

Artemis looked at his charge and met with a pair of eyes that showed a weariness that shook him to his bones. It was a jarring reminder of the fact that the girl before him was much older than she appeared; this was her second life, after all.

"Artemis, promise me something," she whispered. He nodded. "If... If I die... Make sure my parents know... About me... I don't want them to be left in the dark if I just up and vanish from their lives one day." She closed her eyes. "Promise me you'll tell them, Artemis, if it comes to that."

Artemis hesitated, then nodded. "I promise," he stated. This seemed to satisfy her, for the lines of worry crossing her face relaxed, and she sunk farther into her pillows.

"Thanks, Artemis," she said. Then she yawned. "G'nite Artemis." The girl turned her face to her desk, where a pen with a steadily blinking red light lay. "G'nite, Boss."

Boss winked twice at her in reply. Artemis muttered a soft "good night" of his own before drifting off to sleep.

Strangely, though Minako was exhausted, sleep wouldn't embrace her so easily. Every time she found herself about to be welcomed into sleep's restful arms, her thoughts would turn to the mysterious Senshi. There was something about the Senshi that tickled the back if her mind, and she knew that if she could only identify the tingle, she'd be able to solve the mystery of who the new girl was, of where she had come from, of why she was here.

_Sailor Moon,_ Minako thought. _I'll find you. If you mean Usagi any harm, I'll show no mercy. But if you prove to be a valuable ally, I'll welcome you with open arms.__Sailor Moon... I'll find out your secrets._ Minako's thoughts flashed to her Princess, and a sense of resolution filled her, calming her, relaxing her. _For Serenity._ That was her last thought before she drifted off into the waiting arms of a deep, restful, and much-needed sleep.

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___"Don't you ever get tired?" she asked the blond girl who was standing stiffly in front of her, ever-watchful. "Just... Of all this." She gestured behind her, at the vast expanse of cold, gray rock lying before them. It seemed so alone, out here, away from all the hustle and bustle going on in the castle behind them. It was an eery reflection of her own situation that she didn't like being reminded of. "Of everything?"_

_The blond girl clad in an orange sailor suit let out a sigh and turned to meet her gaze. "Yes. I mean, I don't know how you **couldn't** get tired of this. Same thing, day in and day out. But this isn't about us anymore. I made an Oath, and I intend to keep it." The blond girl met her eyes. "I know you feel the same." The blond's hair lifted in a gentle breeze, dancing aloft in the air. There was an air of confidence about her, marking her as a natural leader._

_"Of course I do. But, I still get tired. Don't you ever just wish that we could... I don't know, take a break, or something?" A cold breeze brew across the stark landscape of the moon, eliciting shivers from the two Senshi._

_The blond laughed lightly. "Nah," she responded after her laughter died down. "Not really. I like what I do. It's not always fun, and it's tiring, but I don't regret a minute of it. I'd die and do it all again, if I had to. I wouldn't change a thing. And I'd take the Oath again wholeheartedly. I'd go through that whole ordeal again, with no hesitation."_

_"You don't **have** to. The Oath is pretty clear on that. Just once, and you're bound for all eternity." There was a lull in the conversation when the blond didn't reply to this statement. "Surely there could be something less... **stringent** than the Oath."_

_"Says the one who added a **vow of** **chastity** on top of the Oath," retorted the blond with a smile. Her smile was met with a frown._

_"I had to do **something** to make up for... Well, you know..."_

_"I know," replied the blond quietly. "Let's not talk about that. Your home is more truthful to us, now."_

_"Because they have to be, with me here."_

_"... I know."_

_"I just wish... I wish life were simpler. I wish we didn't have to worry about all these... politics, and treaties, and imminent wars, and maintaining decorum. I wish we could just be friends-just normal friends. That's why she always goes off down **there**, you know-to escape this... This **stifling** atmosphere."_

_The blond nodded. "I know." She sighed. "Maybe in the next life..." The blond looked at the sky; the stars twinkled down at them, oblivious. The girl grinned and changed the subject. "So, what do you think of that Jadeite-kun, eh?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "He's something, isn't he? Though he's not really my type. But I saw **you**! Haha! Best of luck keeping good on that vow of chastity **now**, Mars!"_

_"**Venus!**"_

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Hino Rei awoke abruptly, jolting up in her hospital bed, gasping, disoriented, her eyes wide, not registering her surroundings. A hand shot to her head, and her breaths came in quick gasps.

"_Venus_," she breathed.

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A/N: Aaaand there we have it! Woohoo! Things are gettin INTENSE! I'm really looking forward to Rei's part of the story. And Usagi and Mamoru are teaming up! Wonder what'll happen? Anyway, I was wondering what sort of relationships you'd like to see develop (other than Usagi and Mamoru's, of course). I used to be a pretty die-hard SenshixShittenou fan, but I've recently been reading some truly lovely SenshixSenshi fics. I'd never really considered Minako/Rei before, because I had always shipped Minako/Kunzite pretty hard. But I think it works nicely, especially from the PGSM universe. It's cute, when written well. So, what are your thoughts? Would you like Senshi/Shittenou, or Senshi/Senshi? I'm going to be trying to work on writing relationships, so I'm up for either.

And, for those of you who were about to drop this fic when you saw Selene-she's NOT an OC. Her _true identity_ will be revealed eventually! And I dropped some _not-so-subtle_ hints about her identity; those of you who are particularly familiar with the manga and PGSM will likely have no problem guessing who she is! Even my twin, who's not at all familiar with anything outside the English dub and a few volumes of the manga, figured it out.

Also, for those of you who are really into the fandom…

"How much gravey do Serena does she make?" xD

Until next time! Please leave your thoughts and comments-your reviews and favorites/follows always encourage me to keep writing! I'd love to hear your thoughts! (Seriously, though. I write this to make myself a better writer, and while it's nice to see all the faves/follows, I really appreciate a nice review more. Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to let me know your thoughts!) And let me know if there's some awkward spacing/spelling stuff going on! FFnet went a little crazy when I tried to upload, and it did WEIRD FORMATTING THINGS IDONTEVENKNOW. And spelling is usually my fault, since I write on my iphone lol.


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